Sexual Assault Awareness Week: Beyond Beats and Rhymes

Hey everyone,

Have you been to a Sexual Assault Awareness Week event yet?

Just a reminder that TODAY, as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Week, we will be screening the riveting documentary, Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes. This film examines representations of gender roles in hip-hop culture and rap music!

The film takes an in-depth look at representations of manhood, sexism and homophobia in hip-hop culture. This groundbreaking documentary is a "loving critique" of certain disturbing developments in rap music culture from the point of view of a fan who challenges the art form's representations of masculinity.

Leading rap and hip-hop artists including Mos Def, Busta Rhymes and Russell Simmons are interviewed and pressed to answer some difficult questions about the violent and sexually explicit content of many hip-hop songs and videos.

This documentary is one of a kind!! I suggest that each and every one of you come out!!

And, to put the icing on the cake, the Capital Slam winning team, The Recipe, will be performing a piece that they specifically prepared for tonight's event--Confessions.

See you all in the Minto Building, Bell Theatre tonight at 7pm!

For more information, see the Sexual Assault Awareness Week Facebook event HERE.

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Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre
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CU Sexual Assault Awareness Week, Feb. 8-11

Join the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre in their first joint project with Equity Services!

Carleton University's Sexual Assault Awareness Week has been organized by the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre and Equity Services and has been funded by Equity.

All the events are free, open to anyone and cover a wide range of topics and activities.

Monday, February 8th, 2010
10am - 3pm
Join us in the atrium for an info fair with a "Clothesline Project"
There will be FOOD and PRIZES

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
12 - 1:30pm
Join us at 2017 Dunton Tower for "Understanding sexual violence in the context of missing and murdered aboriginal women" presented by Kate Rexe of the Sisters in Spirit Campaign
Snacks will be provided

Wednesday, February 10, 2010
7-9pm
Join us in the Bell Theatre, Minto Building for an evening of taking on sexual violence and popular culture.
We have "Confessions" performed The Recipe (formerly the Capital Poetry Collective) followed by a screening of "Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes"
There will be a facilitated discussion and snacks!

Thursday, February 11, 2010
12 - 1:30pm
2017 Dunton Tower
Join us for "What Went Wrong in Rwanda: Rape, Genocide and the International Tribunal for Rwanda" by Professor Doris Buss
Snacks will be provided

and then that night...

7-9pm
435 Patrick Building
Join us for a panel discussion on "Healthy Relationships" with Kandace Price (Womyn's Centre Coordinator), The Carleton GLBTQ Centre and Venus Envy.
Once again, we've got snacks!

Spread the word and do your part to end sexual assault!

For more information, see the Facebook event HERE.

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Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre

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Task Force on Gender-Based Violence: Success!

Just a quick note to say THANK YOU to all those who came out to the Task Force today. It was tremendously successful by all accounts.

Thank you to those who so eloquently spoke about their experiences. It was emotional, it was upsetting but most of all, it was powerful.

I know I speak for all the panelists when I say THANK YOU for your contributions and please know that all your comments will be included in our final report, to be released soon.

Once again, if you'd like to be involved with the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre, please send an e-mail to coalitionforcarleton@gmail.com

In solidarity,

Julie Lalonde
Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre

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Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre

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Task Force on Gender-Based Violence TOMORROW

Gender-Based Violence on Campus: It's happening. You've seen it, you've heard it and you've witnessed it. So now is the time to speak up.

Join the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre, The Womyn's Centre, The Graduate Students’ Association and students across campus for this open forum.

Panelists will be making brief presentations and then the floor is open to anyone who would like to speak about their experience, the experience of someone they know or their general thoughts about the issue.

Not comfortable speaking in front of a group? Written submissions will be accepted at the forum.

The main goal is to bring the issue into the open and to get the campus community and Carleton administration to recognize that this is a problem. The end goal is a written report that will be compiled from all the statements made that day and submitted to Carleton University Administration and the media.

Your silence will not protect you.

Open Your Eyes. Listen Up. Speak Out.

Tuesday, November 10th
Starts at 11am
Atrium, UniCentre, Carleton University

>> Facebook event here <<

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Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre
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TASK FORCE on GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: Nov. 10 at Carleton!

The Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre (in conjunction with the Womyn's Centre and the Graduate Students' Association) will be hosting a Task Force on Gender-Based Violence on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009. It will take place from 11am-1pm in the University Centre Atrium at Carleton University. Be there, and spread the word!

More information will be made available in the days leading up to the task force--please check back!

Lastly, don't forget to follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AskingForIt

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Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre

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Depoliticizing Sexual Assault at Carleton University (Radio!)

Hear the Coalition on the radio! Interview on CKDU 88.1 FM (Halifax) from October HERE.

More information:

CKDU News Collective
September 30, 2009

HALIFAX–Carleton University students and the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre are outraged by the latest known sexual assault on campus. Carleton University Campus Safety has released information regarding an assault that occurred near residence on September 25th, 2009 in which a woman was “struck in the face and groped by an unknown male”. Posters have been put up around campus reporting the incident. The Coalition questions why the information describes a sexual assault but labels the incident as an “assault” only.

The Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre was formed in 2007 after a high-profile sexual assault on campus exposed the lack of adequate support services. After a three-year campaign for increased services, students at Carleton University are still waiting for a centre, for which over 80% of students voted in favour in a 2008 referendum. The campaign reached a fever pitch this past summer when the survivor of the high-profile sexual assault filed a lawsuit against the University. In its statement of defence, Carleton argued that the woman, “failed to take appropriate or any action for her own safety”. Harsh criticism from students, alumni and advocates across the country prompted the University to settle with the plaintiff. However, a Sexual Assault Centre remains to be seen on campus and students continue to demand one.

In this episode of Operation Wake Up! News Collective Host Jane Kirby interviews Julie Lalonde of the Coalition for Carleton University Sexual Assault Centre about Carleton University’s continued failure to take issues of sexual assault seriously, as well as disturbing trends in universities’ responses to this issue and to activism on campuses across the country.

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Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre
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Reaction to last week's sexual assault on campus

The following is the official release from Carleton University through the campus safety website, a press release from the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre and an article about the criticism Carleton is facing over this particular incident. 

OFFICIAL RELEASE FROM CU CAMPUS SAFETY WEBSITE:

Friday September 25th- Assault in Residence Quad

The Department of University Safety advises that there has been an assault on campus. Between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Friday September 25th, a female was struck in the face and groped by an unknown male. This incident occurred in the Quad area of Residence. The male is described as a white, in his 20’s, clean shaven, wearing a baseball cap. Anyone with information or who was witness to the incident is encouraged to contact University Safety at 613-520-3612.

COALITION FOR A CARLETON SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTRE PRESS RELEASE:

For Immediate Release
September 29, 2009

CARLETON STUDENTS OUTRAGED BY LATEST SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CAMPUS

OTTAWA—Carleton University students and the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre are outraged by the latest known sexual assault on campus. Carleton University Campus Safety has released information regarding an assault that occurred near residence on September 25th, 2009 in which a woman was “struck in the face and groped by an unknown male”. Posters have been put up around campus reporting the incident. The Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre questions why the information describes a sexual assault but labels the incident as an “assault” only. “The information we have clearly speaks of a sexual assault and yet the University has labelled it otherwise. This isn’t an issue of semantics but of misleading information,” says Julie Lalonde, coordinator of the Coalition.

The Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre was formed in 2007 after a high-profile sexual assault on campus exposed the lack of adequate support services. After a three-year campaign for increased services, students at Carleton University are still waiting for a centre, for which over 80% of students voted in favour in a 2008 referendum. The campaign reached a fever pitch this past summer when the survivor of the high-profile sexual assault filed a lawsuit against the University. In its statement of defence, Carleton argued that the woman, "failed to take appropriate or any action for her own safety". Harsh criticism from students, alumni and advocates across the country prompted the University to settle with the plaintiff. However, a Sexual Assault Centre remains to be seen on campus and students continue to demand one.

“This latest assault is further evidence that sexual assault and sexual violence, particularly against women, continues to happen at Carleton and that what the University has done is not working,” adds Lalonde. “The official acknowledgement of sexual assault remains taboo on campus and the use of the term ‘assault’ rather than ‘sexual assault’ demonstrates this. The labelling of incidences on campus is shrouded in politics. Unfortunately, we have a long way to go at Carleton.”

Link to CBC article: Carleton faces criticism after campus attack

Please continue to stand up and demand better from Carleton. What they have done and continue to do is clearly not working. Where is our sexual assault centre? Where is our public accountability from administration?