TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the city again this year, and Indiana State University has now joined in the efforts to fight sexual assault.
Experts on the issue, such as Beth White, President and CEO of the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault, said the numbers in Indiana are staggering.
“1 in 3 women in the state of Indiana will experience sexual violence in her lifetime, 1 in 5 men”, White said. “It is a really common problem that people don’t talk about. There is a lot of shame and worry about blame associated with this violence, so people don’t come forward.
In order to change things, state and local leaders gathered at Indiana State University Wednesday to help.
“During April, we try very hard to talk about the problem and talk about how people are not alone”, White said. “They do not need to suffer in silence.”
Indiana State students were greeted with flowers and positive encouragement as they entered Hulman Memorial Student Union from people like Olivia Finley, who is the Deputy Title IX Coordinator at ISU.
“This event really is to do something nice for students, let them do something nice for themselves”, Finley said. “We have tags that say, “you are worthy” and “you are loved”, so kind of spreading that message of self-love during this month.”
The event is put on by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, a university resource that provides counseling from trained employees.
“It’s our hope with this event that we spread self-love and awareness around Sexual Assault Awareness Month”, Finley said. “Also, with our office, it’s important that students see us, and they know that we exist and where to go if something ever were to happen.”
Indiana State students are encouraged to report sexual harassment to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX at 210 North Seventh Street.
