On Tuesday, UW President Laurie Nichols released a statement announcing “No More Week,” March 5-11.
“We are excited to be part of a national campaign to say ‘No More’ to sexual assault and dating violence,” Dean of Students Sean Blackburn said.
“NO MORE” is a campaign to raise awareness and engagement in an effort ot end domestic and sexual violence. The campaign launched in March 2013 by the U.S. Department of Justice and major corporations, according to the NO MORE website.
“NO MORE is supported by hundreds of national and local groups and by thousands of individuals, organizations, universities and communities,” according to the group’s website.
That group now includes UW.
“No More Week is part of our new sexual assault and dating violence prevention and response initiative,” Nichols said.
The NO MORE campaign was identified as a fit for UW after ASUW raised concerns to Nichols about a perceived increase in sexual assaults on campus last year, STOP Violence coordinator Megan Selheim said.
“In response, President Nichols tasked Dean Blackburn and Jim Osborn, Interim Title IX Coordinator, with organizing a working group to coordinate campus efforts [for] preventing and responding to sexual assault at UW,” Selheim said.
That group then identified the NO MORE campaign as part of a possible solution.
“The first step in a community reducing and ultimately eliminating sexual assault is getting everyone on the same page that sexual assault actually happens in the community,” Selheim said. “The No More campaign is one of the tools UW is using to address this first step for campus.”
There is a social media component to the campaign as well.
“All UW employees and students are encouraged to download the UW No More logo to add to their email signature and social media profile,” Nichols said.
Blackburn said he also encourages students to take part in No More Week via social media or by taking part in the week’s events.
“No More Week is a great start to our increased efforts to prevent sexual assault,” Blackburn said.
While “No More Week” is a good first step, it is not the only step the group created by Nichols intends to take.
“While it is a product of the working group, the No More campaign is not the only project to come out of the group,” Selheim said. “We are continuing to meet and to identify additional steps we can take [to] address sexual assault at UW.”
