Women’s Leadership Project launches annual Red Flag Campaign

By KANDICE WRIGHT
Women’s Leadership Project

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. To bring attention to this issue, the Women’s Leadership Project (WLP) is again bringing The Red Flag Campaign to Fort Hays State University.

This is a public awareness campaign designed to address domestic and dating violence and promote its prevention on college campuses. The campaign was created using a “bystander intervention” strategy, encouraging friends and other campus community members to “say something” when they see warning signs (“red flags”) for dating violence in a friend’s relationship.

Research indicates that abuse occurs in every 1 of 5 college dating relationships. 58% of college students say they don’t know how to help someone who is a victim of dating abuse, and 38% of college students say they would not know where to get help according to TheRedFlagCampaign.org.

Throughout the month of October, red flags will be visible on the grounds of the university to remind everyone to address “red flags” they may see with friends, family, or within themselves. Additionally, WLP will host several events to bring awareness to this important cause.

In the Memorial Union on Oct. 17th and 31st the Women’s Leadership Project will be selling t-shirts supporting The Red Flag Campaign. These T-shirts will also be available during the Women’s Volleyball Oct. 6th starting at 2:00 pm, Women’s Soccer games Oct. 13th starting at 5:30 pm, Men’s Football Oct. 14 starting at 2:00 pm, and the Men’s Soccer on Oct. 26th starting at 6:00 pm. Presentations will be given to all freshmen seminar classes on Oct. 9th and 10th about relationship violence, consent, and how to be an active bystander. On the 24th, WLP will host The Clothesline Project which gives students an opportunity to be creative and express their feelings of sexual assault and relationship violence issues.

For more information regarding the Red Flag Campaign, or what you can do if you see relationship red flags, contact the Women’s Leadership Project at [email protected] or 785-628-4312.