Women’s Initiative is currently and always will be in support of extended services on campus for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Sexual assault and domestic violence impact people regardless of their gender, and everyone deserves to go to a party without fear of sexual assault. Women’s Initiative will continue to be in support of everyone’s right to live a life free of fear, and we will continue to refuse to trivialize or to ignore the experiences of our fellow students.
Some of the resources available for students on campus can be found at http://www.american.edu/sexualassault. The site offers information for survivors, friends, and family to address the many questions that may follow an assault. Off campus resources are also available for students through the D.C. Rape?Crisis Center (http://www.dcrcc.org) and the Washington Hospital SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Program. What is most important in this situation is that survivors are aware of the resources available and are able to utilize these resources to take the necessary steps to heal. ?
Finally, rather than accept the false choice of either resources for women or resources for veterans, we choose to only accept a campus community that is safe and empowering for all people, civilians and veterans alike. We hope the AU community will join us this year as we create a safe space for all survivors at Take Back the Night. It will be held on Monday, April 11th?at 8 p.m. in the Amphitheater.
Quinn Pregliasco and Victoria Bosselman
Director and Deputy Director of Women’s Initiative
