In an effort to increase campus awareness about sexual abuse, the College will launch Sexual Assault Awareness Week on Sunday.
Liza Veto, acting coordinator of the Sexual Abuse Awareness Program, said these events are an opportunity to "reach students we don't normally reach" thanks to "the expertise and resources of the speakers" and "the support shown by the campus in general."
Veto said this year's SAAW planning committee "decided to focus more on issues of culture." She said some events would be "directed towards the general public," while others will cover specific areas like "Dartmouth culture, athletes, violence in the streets and the workplace."
One of the central events in this year's SAAW is the "Clothesline Project," a display of t-shirts made by sexual assault survivors or friends of survivors, Veto said.
Veto said these displays serve to "personalize the experience" and "remember there are actual people behind the numbers and the statistics."
Shilyh Warren '96, a student who worked on this project, said the "Clothesline Project's purpose is to get an emotional response from the people."
Cat Weiss '97, who was also involved in the project, said these kinds of displays are "witnesses to the violence some women have experienced."
The College will display the exhibit in Collis Common Ground from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday.
SAAW will feature a variety of lectures that examine different perspectives on sexual assault.
Jackson Katz, a former all-state football player, will give the first lecture of the week when he discusses "Football, Feminism and other Contemporary Contradictions" on Monday night.
Katz is the founder of Real Men, a male feminist organization and is also Project Coordinator of the Mentors in Violence Prevention Project at Northeastern University in Boston.
This event, Veto said, is directed towards "one of the groups we do not normally get to -- the athletes."
On Tuesday night, John Strayer '96 will moderate a panel discussion titled "Dartmouth: A Culture of Violence?"
Strayer said he hopes to "get all aspects of Dartmouth culture across the board", and then ask "how can we do better?"
He said he selected seven panelists from diverse sectors of the campus, ranging from "Greek, non-Greek, freshmen, people from the Office of Residential Life, and members of other organizations."
On Wednesday night, Maggie Hadleigh-West will show her award-winning documentary about street abuse and workplace harassment, titled "War Zone: The Abuse of Women on the Streets of America."
On Thursday, the traditional "Take Back the Night" March will start at Webster Hall at 8:30 p.m. Participants will then walk to Mass Row, Webster Ave., and then back to the Green, Warren said.
She said she expected "a couple hundred people" to join the march because there were "approximately 150 last spring."
Warren said Area Director Chris Chambers will deliver a speech and the Untamed Shrews will perform before the march.
Friday afternoon's presentation will look at "Supporting a Survivor of Sexual Violence."
Friday night, students are invited to take part in "Celebrating in Safe Space," in Collis Common Ground from 9 p.m. until midnight.
The celebration will feature several student performers and refreshments.
Saturday's events include "Dartmouth Unplugged" which will feature many student musical performers and is sponsored by all six sororities.
Also as part of SAAW, the film "Dolores Clairborne" will be screened this Sunday in Spaulding Auditorium.
While Veto said "the sexual abuse situation here is not particularly different from that of other institutions," she said "as there are almost no strangers in Hanover-- unlike in Boston, New York or New Haven-- practically all violence is committed by students against other students."
Veto also stressed that "people need to understand how alcohol and sexual abuse are closely intertwined." She said most instances of sexual abuse occur in situations where alcohol is present.
She said the administration "has done a very good job in clarifying the sexual abuse issue and maintaining the Sexual Abuse Awareness Program active."
