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| The walk kicks off campaign to end dating violence on college campuses |
Courtesy Photo:
Ferrum College students discuss healthy and unhealthy dating behaviors. |
Monday, October 1, 2012
Three hundred men and women have signed up to "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. on the Ferrum College campus.
A Red Flag Campaign kick-off event, the walk to end dating violence will begin in the Franklin Quad and continue around the outer perimeter of campus, ending in the Panther's Den with light refreshments.
Additional walkers may sign up the day of the event in Franklin Quad, starting at 6 p.m. The college's house band will play until the walk begins.
"We are excited about the dating violence awareness walk at Ferrum College," said Cynthia Treadway, the director of the Franklin County Family Resource Center. "It is important to empower Ferrum College students with the knowledge that they are not alone, they deserve respect and how to seek help when needed."
"As a member of the Ferrum College community, I know that one of the students' greatest interests on campus is seeking out relationships with their peers, both friendships and dating relationships," said Director of Student Health Promotions Jill Adams. "Unfortunately, not every relationship is healthy or positive and dating violence happens in one out of every five intimate college relationships. The Red Flag Campaign is a great opportunity to engage students in dialogue and learning about dating violence."
Created by Frank Baird in 2001, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes has become a worldwide movement with tens of thousands of men raising millions of dollars for local rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters and other sexual violence education, prevention and remediation programs.
The Red Flag Campaign is a public awareness campaign designed to address dating violence on college campuses using the "bystander intervention" strategy. Launched in Virginia in 2007 and now found on over 100 campuses in 27 states, the campaign encourages friends and other campus community members to "say something" when they see in a friend's relationship the seven signs or "red flags" for dating violence: emotional abuse, coercion, excessive jealousy, isolation, sexual or physical assault, stalking, and victim-blaming.
The campaign was created in partnership with college students, college personnel and community victim advocates, and is funded by grants from the Verizon Foundation, Verizon Wireless, Macy's Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This is a great way to show awareness and build a stronger Ferrum community while dealing with such a serious issue," said Residence Hall Educator Billy Byrd. |
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