FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Sexual Assault Awareness Week will kick off at the University of Arkansas, Monday, March 4, with a multitude of activities to be held throughout the week.

RESPECT, Rape Education Services by Peers Encouraging Conscious Thought, is a sexual assault prevention education group that works with the University Health Center’s STAR Central program and is a group of student peer educators committed to stopping rape and sexual violence. It will host Sexual Assault Awareness Week activities during the week of March 4-8.

"I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to educate the campus community about sexual assault through Sexual Assault Awareness Week," said Mary A. Wyandt, RESPECT advisor and STAR Central coordinator. "Sexual assault is something we cannot ignore and something we must take seriously. Through the STAR Central program, the University of Arkansas has been able to communicate this nationwide problem."

In October 1998, STAR Central was created as an expansion of the University Health Center, Health Promotion and Education Department’s Sexual Assault Education Programming. This was done with federal grant money distributed through the Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence.

The weeklong activities will begin Monday in the Arkansas Union Connection Lounge. Through Tuesday, on display will be the Survivor Wall consisting of stories by victims of sexual violence. RESPECT interns from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will facilitate interactive activities, including a game that raises awareness about issues concerning rape.

Wednesday through Friday, the Campus Clothesline Project will be on display from approximately 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. outdoors in the courtyard between the Arkansas Union and Mullins Library. At the Campus Clothesline Project, T-shirts will be displayed as a visual exhibit promoting "Zero Tolerance for Rape," done by UA students, staff, faculty and departments.

The Campus Clothesline Project is in conjunction with the National Clothesline Project. It consists of various articles of clothing that have been decorated by or for women who are survivors or were victims of various violent crimes (rape, domestic violence, homicide, etc.). Each piece of clothing represents a woman’s experience or feelings. Collectively, the exhibit is a powerful representation of the innumerable acts of violence committed against women.

The purpose for this project is to inform the University community about the issue of sexual assault and to encourage our community to express that we will not tolerate rape. It is the intention of this project to continue and grow over the years as part of an effort to break the silence about sexual assault.

Thursday, the Health Promotion and Education gorilla will be walking around campus from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., interacting with students to educate about rape issues. A Friday Night Live presentation will wrap up the week’s activities with a performance from RESPECT at 10:30 p.m., in the Arkansas Union.

The University of Arkansas Health Center’s program for sexual assault awareness and prevention education is funded in part through a Violence Against Women Act/Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant from the Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence. As an excellent opportunity for student involvement, seven students serve as peer education interns to provide awareness and prevention education to the University campus.

STAR Central is based on a 2-prong approach - to be proactive through rape awareness and prevention education, and to be reactive through victim advocacy services.

In February 2001, a peer education program was started through the STAR Central office, and RESPECT began as an initiative of the STAR Central office in February 2000.

In February 2002, RESPECT began the "While the Professor is Away" program, where the group presents to professors’ classes when they are away rather than the classes being canceled.

Presentations, awareness activities and related events are developed and implemented by these motivated individuals who serve in RESPECT. RESPECT peer educators use a variety of education techniques, including group discussions and information sharing, interactive classroom presentations, games, skits and other activities geared toward preventing rape and dispelling myths that blame victims for being raped.

Information about STAR Central and RESPECT may be obtained by contacting

Mary A. Wyandt, STAR Central coordinator and RESPECT advisor, at 575-7252.

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