Students at the University of South Alabama are organizing a series of campus events this month tied to V-Day, a global campaign aimed at raising awareness about violence against women, including sexual assault, domestic abuse and human trafficking.
Event organizers on campus point to sobering national statistics as the reason for the effort. According to figures cited by campaign organizers, an American is sexually assaulted roughly every two minutes, and more than half of survivors never report the assault to police. National psychological research groups estimate that millions of women experience abuse from a partner each year, with roughly one in four women facing some form of abusive relationship in their lifetime.
The university’s campaign includes several public events planned for the week. A self-defense class will be offered to students earlier in the week, giving participants hands-on instruction aimed at personal safety awareness.
Later, the campus will host a free screening of a documentary film centered on sexual assault, followed by a discussion led by one of the people involved in producing it. That event is open to the public and will be held in the university’s student center ballroom.
The week will close with a staged reading of a well-known theatrical work built around women’s personal stories and experiences with relationships, identity and violence. Admission for that performance is a modest $5, with all proceeds benefiting the Rape Crisis Center of Mobile, a local organization that provides support services for survivors of sexual assault in the region.
University organizers say the goal of the week is not only fundraising but also education, giving students exposure to the scope of the issue and connecting them with resources available both on campus and in the surrounding Mobile community. The Rape Crisis Center of Mobile has long partnered with area colleges and community groups on awareness campaigns, and V-Day events have become a recurring part of that outreach.
Students interested in attending any of the week’s events can find more information through the university’s student affairs office. Organizers emphasized that while the self-defense class is geared toward students, the film screening and staged reading are open to the broader public, including community members not affiliated with the university.
The events reflect a broader national push tied to V-Day, which since its founding has grown into an annual effort supported by campuses, community groups and advocacy organizations across the country working to reduce violence against women.