BOISE STATE’S WOMEN’S CENTER WANTS TO TAKE BACK THE NIGHT

The National College Women Sexual Victimization Survey estimates that between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 college women experience rape or attempted rape during their college years. Ninety percent of the victims know their attacker. In 2001, Ada County reported 113 forcible rapes, an increase of 19 percent over the previous year. These are just some of the alarming statistics that the Boise State University Women’s Center and community organizers want to make people aware of at the annual Take Back the Night events.

The organizers have planned a series of events aimed at increasing awareness about sexual assault, educating about public services for victims, encouraging community responsibility for prevention and education and reinforcing the criminal nature of rape and sexual assault by highlighting its unacceptability in any situation.

This year’s theme is "Will Work for Change" and events are as follows:

April 21 – Face Off VI, 7 p.m. Student Union Jordan Ballroom. Face Off is a semiannual free concert hosted by Student Programs Board. Volunteers at this event will staff a table with information on sexual assault and prevention.

April 23 – Vigil and Volunteer Drive, 9:30 p.m. Boise City Hall. A short vigil remembering those who have been victims of sexual assault or rape will take place at City Hall. Following this event, volunteers will canvas the downtown area, handing out to the public awareness and prevention materials about sexual assault.

April 29 – Movie: "Tough Guise," 8 p.m. Boise State University’s Chaffee Hall. This film by Jackson Katz and Jeremy Earp looks critically at how institutions, from the media to political institutions to schools, often play a role in shaping violent notions of manhood that maintain a violent status quo. The normalizing of these unacceptable violent behaviors only reinforces the idea that violence equals manhood. This film attempts to look at the construction of this paradigm and ways that it can be undermined to create a freer, safer world for everyone.

All events are free and open to the public. The events of this week are sponsored by the Boise State Women’s Center, Boise State Student Housing, Boise State Health, Wellness and

Counseling Center, Women’s and Children’s Alliance, Planned Parenthood of Idaho, Idaho Women’s Network and National Organization for Women.

Melissa Wintrow

Women’s Center

208 426-4259

Sherry Squires

communications and marketing

208 426-1563

Patri Ann Thompson

communications and marketing

208 426-3196

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