The Arkansas Tech University Office of Title IX, the ATU Department of Campus Life, ATU Student Activities Board and ATU fraternities hosted a Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event and a Clothesline Project display at Hindsman Tower on Monday, March 4, in conjunction with the ATU 2024 Women’s Week observance.
Those in attendance were invited to walk for sexual violence prevention, learn about relationship red flags and show support for survivors of interpersonal violence.
“From my job in the Office of Title IX here at Arkansas Tech, I want you to know that you are not alone,” said Amy Pennington, ATU associate vice president for student affairs, dean of students and Title IX coordinator. “If you have experienced any of these behaviors, we are here to help you. Our job is to walk that path with you and provide support and resources so that you can be successful. Thank you to the ATU community. This turn out shows me that you care. It takes all of us working together to have a safe and supportive community, which is what we are all working to achieve here at Arkansas Tech.”
Males in attendance were invited to wear red high heels for the walk as a statement of listening, learning, allyship and commitment.
Members of the ATU community created and displayed T-shirts that convey their personal experiences of interpersonal violence, such as emotional, spiritual, verbal, physical, sexual, financial, technology-based and other forms of abuse, stalking or sexual harassment.
According to information provided by the organization, the Clothesline Project began in 1990 when members of the Cape Cod Women’s Agenda hung a clothesline across the Village Green in Hyannis, Mass., with 31 shirts designed by survivors of assault, rape and child sexual abuse.
The rally also included an observance of the Red Flag Campaign. Research indicates that 1-in-5 college students experiences intimate partner violence.
“As a son, a brother, a cousin, an uncle, a co-worker and last, but not least, a good friend to many amazing women, I’m not okay with the fact that women are not safe and cannot feel safe,” said ATU student Bryce Smith of Bryant, who serves as vice president for the ATU Interfraternity Council. “The only thing that is going to change that is if we stand up together and rally against violence. Thank you again for coming and standing alongside me and other men to ensure that every student can feel safe on this campus.”
ATU student Hannah Stone of Clarksville serves as president of the ATU Student Government Association. She has also studied sexual violence and served as an advocate on a national level for survivors.
“I want to begin by acknowledging and celebrating how far our culture and our society have come in empowering women and identifying women as leaders,” said Stone. “I have personally seen in my studies and in my work across the country how fearlessly this generation is supporting and inspiring women from all walks of life. But, though we celebrate our growth in our struggles this month, we must also acknowledge how far we have left to go.
“I want to thank everyone here of a male-identifying standpoint for standing in solidarity with the women and female-identifying members of our campus community,” continued Stone. “I also want to remind you that today should not be the only day that you use your privilege to bring awareness to violence against women. Women aren’t granted the luxury of feeling safe. Women are taught not to cause a scene, keep quiet and to not anger those who might be a threat to them. As a man, your presentation alone grants you a sense of respect and security from your male peers we do not experience. We need you to use this privilege on our behalf. We need you to hold your brothers, co-workers, friends and strangers accountable for their language, behavior and choices of media. Sexual violence predominantly affects women, but that doesn’t make it a women’s issue. It’s on all of us to prevent sexual violence each and every day.”
ATU Women’s Week 2024 events continued through Friday, March 8.
A list of other events is available at www.atu.edu/leadership_programs/docs/Womens%20Week%20Schedule%20.pdf.
