Counseling center brings awareness to sexual assault

The Student Counseling Center hopes to raise awareness about sexual assault during the month of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness month.

Sexual Assault Awareness month began in the 1970s when a group of women in England, the Take Back the Night Marchers, began protesting the violence they experienced while walking through the streets at night. As word spread, the protests began in other countries as well.

The U.S. held its first nationally recognized Sexual Assault Awareness month in 2001.

The Student Counseling Center will be holding three different events throughout the month of April including Take the Pledge Day on the Quad and “These Hands Don’t Hurt.”

The events began on April 1, when the center passed out information about sexual assault.

According to Nelson DeLucca, a junior math major from Smith Station and a peer educator, students should take part in the pledge event on April 7.

“We’re asking that students take the pledge found on itsonus.org.org,” DeLucca said. “The pledge basically says ‘I am here to keep men and women safe from sexual assault.’”

The counseling center’s website also asks students to take the pledge.

“We urge the entire Troy campus community to take the Its On Us Pledge. By doing so, you are making a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault… to not be a bystander to the problem, but to be part of the solution.”

Also on April 7, the counseling center will be hosting the “These Hands Don’t Hurt” event on the North Quad.

Students will be given the opportunity to place his or her handprint on a banner.

The handprint will “show your commitment to never ignore, condone or commit sexual violence,” the center’s website said.

DeLucca said that it is important for students to know what sexual assault is and to be aware of how much it affects people.

“Sexual assault isn’t something people talk about on a day-to-day basis,” DeLucca said. “(Sexual Assault Awareness Month) is about helping those in need, making sure that everyone is aware of this and that there are people that are affected by sexual assault.”