News Articles
Anti-Violence Activist to Speak on Campus
“Sexual violence against women is not just a ‘women's issue' — it's a human rights issue”
BY LORI BONA HUNT
The importance of men and women joining together to combat sexual and domestic violence is the focus of two events being held on campus this month.
The University's Sexual Assault Free Environment (SAFE) team, which operates out of the Wellness Centre, is promoting ally building among male and female students to combat violence against women during SAFE Week, which runs until March 16.
In addition, numerous campus groups have joined forces to bring leading anti-violence activist Jackson Katz to Guelph March 26 for a public lecture — his first on a Canadian campus. Katz is internationally known for his work in gender violence prevention education with men and boys.
“Sexual violence against women is not just a ‘women's issue' — it's a human rights issue,” says Melanie Bowman of the Wellness Centre. “It affects all of us, and we need to work together in a mutually respectful way to eradicate it.”
During SAFE Week, the U of G team is asking men to wear T-shirts that advertise their commitment to combatting violence against women. They are also being encouraged to collect “solidarity signatures” on the T-shirts from other people devoted to the cause.
In addition, posters are on display around campus, and about 4,000 colourful pinwheels have been placed around the cannon to visually illustrate the magnitude of the continuum of sexual assault. Each pinwheel is a statistical representation of undergraduate students who could potentially be affected directly or indirectly by sexual assault.
“We are in desperate need of a new approach to ending gender violence,” says Bowman. “We need to focus on creating positive male role models who encourage other men to become actively engaged in this issue.”
That's the message Katz will also bring to U of G during his 7 p.m. talk in Peter Clark Hall. He is co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention, the leading gender violence prevention initiative in professional and college athletics. He is also director of the first worldwide domestic and sexual violence prevention program in the U.S. Marine Corps.
“Jackson has managed to inspire and stimulate the dialogue that needs to occur between women and men if we are ever to address the problem of sexual and domestic violence in any meaningful way,” says Prof. Myrna Dawson, Sociology and Anthropology, who chairs the event's planning committee.
“He has helped educate young women and men on the subject, and his emphasis on the need for us to work together to address such a serious and persistent problem is key to moving us forward,” she says.
Admission to the lecture is free, but registration is required because of limited seating. To register or for more information, send e-mail to jackkatz@uoguelph.ca.
Katz's visit is sponsored by Counselling Services' JourneyMen Program, the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, the College of Arts, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, the Athletics Department, the women's studies program, and the Criminal Justice and Public Policy Society.
“The enthusiasm shown by various groups on campus both by agreeing to help sponsor this event and by volunteering in a number of capacities has demonstrated how important this issue is for everyone here,” says Dawson. “It really feels good to be part of a campus that not only recognizes that gendered violence is a problem in our society but also has women and men who want to come together to do something about it.”