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The K-State
Women's Center works to promote a safe and equitable work and learning
environment for women and all people through advocacy, nonviolence education,
presentations, academic classes, training, and referral. Social
justice is the unifying mission for a variety of individual and community
endeavors.
| Our focus has moved upstream from acts
of violence. We no longer simply react to crises, but work to change
the environment of our community. An harmonious community naturally
will display less violence. |
As we
practice it as KSU, nonviolence is an active methodology that transcends
the narrow choice of either fight or flight and addresses the complexity
of our lives. Recent initiatives involve campus culture change efforts
such as nonviolence education and programs for men. We work with the K-State
Campaign for Nonviolence on many justice-related projects. One is SafeZone,
a campus-wide volunteer organization created to improve reporting of sexual
assault and other hatful acts and crimes, and to provide allies for GLBT
students, faculty and staff with concerns. We also sponsor the student
activist group, ACTION.
In order
to sustain our culture change efforts, we collaborate with the academic
side of the university by providing three courses. Introduction to Nonviolence
and Applied Nonviolence Studies are 3-hour classes that lay the groundwork
for a proposed Nonviolence Studies Program (NVS), now in development.
PEERS
is the third class. The P.E.E.R.S. (Proactive Educators for the Elimination
of Rape and Sexual Violence) program is founded on the belief that students
can effectively educate each other on issues concerning sexual/relationship
violence. PEERS, a two semester, 3 credit seminar, provides training in
the cultural, psychological, medical, criminal, and legal aspects of rape,
followed by opportunities for students to present to classes, organizations,
and living groups. Women and men are invited to enroll. Students may also
join the PEERS student activist group, whose mission is public education
and reduction of sexual violence.
The
Women's Center sexual assault advocate provides 24-hour assistance for
women who have been victimized by violence or who are being threatened
by biased, hateful, or criminal behavior. Women’s Center staff members
work with individuals who are filing complaints under K-State's
Policy Prohibiting Sexual Violence and with offices and agencies
on and off campus who can help students with law enforcement, legal, medical,
and academic concerns.
The Women’s
Center is an educational resource for KSU and the community. We provide
videos, presentations, and educational materials to students, faculty,
and community members, and tailor programming for individual needs. |
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