SHC Students Organize to Raise Awareness About Sexual Assault

Mar 16th, 2004

Mobile, Ala. - Though April is officially sexual assault awareness month, a new campus organization isn't waiting to spread the word about how to prevent sexual assault and rape. SHAIR, Spring Hill Awareness and Intervention against Rape, will hold its first awareness event Thursday, March 18, on MacLean Plaza near the Campus Center. The luminaria and prayer service will be held from 9 - 10 p.m. and is open to the public.

"Spring Hill College has rape crisis counselors, but we're taking this a step further by adding prevention and awareness," said the club's founder Chelsea Williams. "To promote a safe campus where students live means providing all the resources available so they are prepared to deal with situations when they happen."

Thursday's event will feature public readings from anonymous letters sent to the Mobile Rape Crisis Center followed by prayers for the victims of those and other sex crimes. Williams, a senior biology major from Daphne, said several campus clubs and organizations are planning to attend, as are faculty and staff.

Unlike many campus clubs, SHAIR is composed of representatives from other campus organizations as well as interested students. Sororities, fraternities and the Student Government Association are represented, among others. Williams said having such a broad cross section of campus involved leads to more and better ideas of how to raise awareness.

Beth Gerl, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students at Spring Hill, said she is proud that students are taking the lead in clubs like SHAIR.

"We're always pleased and excited when students take the initiative to form organizations that will better educate their peers and help us bring heightened awareness to safety issues," Gerl said.

Williams said Thursday's prayer service is only the beginning of what the organization hopes to achieve at Spring Hill and, perhaps, beyond. She said a web site with sexual assault resources will be developed this summer and the club is also working with the Rape Crisis Center to lobby state officials to pass tougher sexual assault legislation.

Earlier this year, SHAIR sponsored coasters at the College Mardi Gras ball that would indicate whether a drink had been spiked with Rohypnol or gamma hydroxy-butarate, both known as date-rape drugs.



Williams said the club wants to design an awareness program for incoming freshmen and for resident assistants in the College's residence halls.

"There is always that naiveté when students first move to campus," she said. "There's a freedom they have but they're not always aware of what can happen when they get that freedom."

Eddie Acevedo, a junior and psychology major from Miami, represents SGA in SHAIR and said sexual assault prevention is as important for men as it is for women.

"A lot of focus is given to how sexual assault affects women, but it's important to acknowledge that it does happen to men," Acevedo said. "Men also need to know where the boundaries are when interacting with women."

Acevedo said as part of the club's effort to involve men in sexual assault awareness, SHAIR will bring "Men Can Stop Rape" to campus April 19. "Men Can Stop Rape" is a national, non-profit organization that works locally and nationally for peace, equity and gender justice. The awareness event will be held from 6-8 p.m. in the Louise Moorer Commons.

For more information on SHAIR or other campus organizations, or for directions to Thursday's event, contact the Office of Student Affairs at 251-380-3023.