The Wofford community had a chance to walk in the shoes of Hijabi Muslim women during one of the Women's History Month events at Wofford College. The event was designed to share information and allow students to try on different hijabs.
Other events designed to promote education and awareness include film screenings, plays, art exhibits and a campaign designed to promote healthy relationships. The campaign involves asking the Wofford community to take the following pledge:
""I pledge to never commit sexual violence against an intimate partner. Furthermore, I pledge to actively intervene if I see signs of sexual violence committed against any member of our community. I am committed to fostering a safe environment, free from violence of any form, in our community.""
In 2015, according to the Violence Policy Center, South Carolina ranked as the state with the highest number of women killed by men. Also, in the most recent state-wide report on sexual violence, Spartanburg County ranked sixth with 203 reported incidents.
Women’s History Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities and events at Wofford College
Exhibits:
Feb. 5 through April 3
EPHEMERAL FLIGHTS: Works by Jessica Elaine Blinkhorn
Martha Cloud Chapman Gallery, Campus Life Building
EPHEMERAL FLIGHTS juxtaposes the hyper-sexualized with the desexualized. The forms are paired with balloons, which function as a surrogate for life. The exhibit is intended to show that form does not matter, and that socially integrated expectations can be damaging to the individual. Through EPHEMERAL FLIGHTS, Blinkhorn shows that life is short and at times unfair, but it still offers opportunities to tell our story.
Events
Wednesday, March 16
“Girl Rising” Film Screening and Panel Discussion
6:30 p.m., McMillan Theater, Campus Life Building
Educating girls can break cycles of poverty in just one generation. Yet millions of girls aren’t in school. Girl Rising uses storytelling to inspire action that gets girls into classrooms worldwide. After the screening of the documentary, the audience will be able to hear from a panel of Wofford students, faculty and staff as to how education has broken cycles in their life.
Monday, March 28
Theater Performance: “Just One Night” and Safe Homes Panel Discussion
7 p.m., McMillan Theater, Campus Life Building
A thought-provoking short play with discussion afterwards from Safe Homes, a Spartanburg-based rape crisis center, about sexual assault and date rape.
Tuesday, March 29
Conference on Gender
4 p.m., Montgomery Room, Burwell Building
Wofford’s 14th annual conference on gender features students from a wide variety of disciplines who will share their research on gender studies issues. Pizza and cookies follow the student presentations.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Thursday, April 14
Lunch and Learn with Marcel Anderson
11:30 a.m., Holcombe Room, Burwell Building
Marcel Anderson, writer, and sexual assault survivor will discuss the healing process of surviving sexual assault, especially as a male survivor. He will also present his new book on surviving sexual assault.
Thursday, April 14
Sexual Assault Awareness Panel
6:30 p.m., Leonard Auditorium, Old Main Building
This will be a panel discussion that addresses sexual violence on college campuses and within the Spartanburg community. Panelists will discuss ways to best support survivors and to help create an environment that promotes healthy relationships.
Tuesday, April 26
Film Screening: “Hunting Ground”
Time and location, TBD
Wofford will host its first screening of the award-winning documentary that focuses on the stories of sexual assault survivors and their fight for justice. Following the film, staff members will discuss Wofford's sexual misconduct policy and its resources.