Calvin Hosts Sexual Aggression Expert

September 25, 2006 == MEDIA ADVISORY

Steve Thompson, a nationally recognized expert on sexual aggression, will speak on that topic in a variety of sessions at Calvin College on Thursday, September 28.

"He will be helping us to address and challenge not just the women, but the men in our community on these issues, which is the approach we want to take," says Anamarie Joosse, a member of the Calvin's Sexual Assault Prevention Team, which is sponsoring the event. "We want to empower the Calvin community to be both safe and respectful."

Thompson*the sexual assault services coordinator at Central Michigan University and the author of the rape prevention book No More Fear*will address faculty, staff and students in different events, and will end his day at Calvin with an event in the chapel open to the entire Calvin community plus anyone else interested in his message.

Among his various sessions is one called "Hostile Hallways," which will look at how sexual assault, harassment, stalking and dating violence are affecting today's children and youth. That session is sponsored by the Calvin education department and the student group Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and is geared toward Calvin's future teachers.

The day will conclude at 8 p.m. in the Calvin chapel with a talk titled "No Zebras*No Excuses: Dating, Sex and Community at Calvin." The title of the talk, Joosse says, refers to zebras who become potential victims when they become separated from the herd.

Thompson urges communities of all kinds to form a strong, united "herd" against sexual aggression, she says, and the goal for the final session is to educate on the many ways both men and women can make Calvin a safer place to live and work.

The Sexual Assault Prevention Team*composed of to two counselors from the Broene Center, two resident directors from the Student Life, a nurse practitioner in health services, four students and the supervisor of self defense in the Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport department*creates programs to heighten awareness of sexual assault and promote prevention of sexual violence.

For the full story see http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2006-07/steve-thompson.htm
Contact Joosse (JOE SEE) at 616-526-6126 or ajoosse@calvin.edu

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Received on Mon Sep 25 14:45:09 2006