in response to richmond incident
Since the October case of a 15 year old high school student
becoming the victim of a gang rape at Richmond High School
following the Homecoming dance, many people in our
community have been affected and angered. The case
ironically took place during the nationally recognized
'Week Without Violence,' a time that is set aside each
year to draw attention to and interrupt patterns of
violence against women. In cases like this, many of us, as
well as our students, are left feeling powerless and
wondering what we can do to address the problem. In an
effort to support students who may be personally impacted
or even triggered by the recent case, the Women's Resource
Center is partnering with the Counseling Center, Mission &
Ministry and Contra Costa County Community Violence
Solutions to provide some space for processing, debriefing
and speaking out. This is a great time to remind ourselves
about the existing resources and services and channel our energy into something positive.
The following is a list of upcoming programs and a reminder of resources.
'Project Speak Out'
November 2-19 Oliver Hall 11:30-1:30pm
The WRC and Mission & Ministry will have a resource table
and an interactive art project set up in Oliver Hall
during the lunch hour, at which students can share their
thoughts and reflections about the recent Richmond case or
about proposed solutions for dealing with the overall
issue of violence against women by creating message cards.
The messages will be compiled to create a powerful visual display.
Debriefing Session entitled 'Join the Conversation'
November 4 Delphine Lounge 1-2 pm
Staff from the Counseling Center and Women's Resource Center
will host a conversation during
community time on November 4 for
those who have been impacted by the incident.
Resources from all of the above areas, as well as from
Community Violence Solutions will be available.
Creative Expressions to End Violence Against
Women--November 19 Delphine Lounge 5:30 pm
In honor of International Day to End Violence Against
Women, the Women's Center is partnering with Rebecca
Engle's 'Poetry in Performance' class to host a open
mic/speak out/coffee house. We encourage students to use
this event as a platform to connect with each other, to
voice their concerns and share their stories of hope
through spoken word, poetry, music or any other means of
creative expression.
Survivors Group
The Counseling Center is offering a
group for survivors of sexual assault. To sign up,
students can contact Laura Williams at the Counseling
Center at x4364.
Sexual Assault Crisis Response Team
Students who have
been affected by sexual assault can contact the on-campus
Sexual Assault Crisis Response Team at 925-878-9207 24
hours per day, 7 days a week while school is in session to
receive information, referrals and support.
Counseling Center x4364
Mission & Ministry x4013
Women's Resource Center x 4171
Sexual Assault Awareness, Outreach & Education Coordinator x 4193
Finally, as a reminder of what we can do to keep our community safe, please use this as an opportunity to revisit our 30 Safety Tips for 30 Days.
