Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention Advocate to Speak at WSU

As part of the third Allen Holmes Diversity Symposium, Weber State University will host Ted Bunch, U.S. State Department international lecturer and co-founder/co-director of violence prevention organization A Call to Men. Bunch will speak Sept 22 in the Shepherd Union Wildcat Theater from 10:30-11:45 a.m. and in Shepherd Union Ballroom C from 6:30-8 p.m.

The Allen Holmes Diversity Symposium provides a forum for students and the campus community to discuss issues of inclusion and exclusion. This year’s symposium, “Preventing Sexual Assault: Leave the Sidelines of Silence,” is free and open to the public and sponsored by WSU’s Chief Diversity Officer, Diversity & Inclusive Programs, Women’s Center, Campus Police, Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity and Athletics.

“Ted Bunch will bring needed focus to our conversations about masculinity and sexual assault prevention while also helping us understand what respectful manhood can look like in our community,” said Adrienne Andrews, WSU’s Chief Diversity Officer. “His efforts are internationally recognized while being accessible to a diverse audience of learners, advocates and survivors.”

A Call to Men is an international organization that focuses on educating men to develop healthy masculinity, promote respect toward women and girls and prevent sexual assault. Besides partnering with schools, corporations, government, social service agencies, military and individual communities, A Call to Men has worked with the NFL, NBA, U.S. military, the Department of Justice and the United Nations. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed Ted Bunch as a committee member of UNiTE, an international network of male leaders who work to end violence toward women.

“I am a believer that it is only too late if we don't do something now,” Andrews said. “In this vein, Bunch will join us not only in a local or statewide conversation, but in a national conversation that violence is not the answer. By finding ways to end violence against women, girls and other marginalized people, we can find ways of building community that benefits us all. To do that, we must look at how we as a society socialize men, how we send mixed messages about violence and what can be done to change those messages.”

The symposium will help further the conversation on sexual assault prevention and encourage student participation in WSU’s Safe@Weber campaign that uses various methods to teach sexual assault prevention, bystander intervention, survivor support, violence reporting and help finding campus and community resources for survivors.

The Allen Holmes Diversity Symposium was created in honor of Allen Holmes, an African-American who led the 1959 Weber College basketball team to win the National Junior College Athletic Association Championship. Holmes was the tournament MVP and a Junior College All-American that year, but his contributions to Weber State were not limited to the basketball court.

Holmes’ influence extended to the classrooms and halls of the campus. He played an important role in melting prejudicial and bigoted beliefs among the student body. In recognition of these contributions, a permanent endowment has been created through private donations to sponsor an annual symposium that deals with diversity and unity.

Visit weber.edu/womenscenter/safeatweber.html for more information about Safe@Weber Violence Prevention & Advocacy Services.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

For a high resolution photo, visit the following link:

photos.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2016-photos/September-2016/i-Fn9Xp9L/0/M/TedBunchOrign-M.jpg

Author:

Ivonne Dabb, Marketing & Communications
801-626-7439 • ivonnedabb@weber.edu

Contact:

Adrienne Andrews, Chief Diversity Officer
801-626-7243 • adrienneandrews@weber.edu

Teresa Martinez, diversity program director
801-626-6957 • teresamartinez1@weber.edu