KRISTIN ELVES

Two members of the band Fur, Stuart Kupers, front, and Annie Hawkins, perform on the Mall Monday afternoon. The concert was part of the first annual Women's Awareness Week at the University of Arizona.

Wednesday October 17, 2001

Week organized in conjunction with safety and violence awareness nationwide

In an effort to increase attendance at women's self-defense workshops, and in conjunction with the nationwide Month Against Violence, ASUA has declared this week the first annual "Women's Awareness Week" at the UA.

The safety week for women comes at a time when statistics indicate that one out of every three women in the United States experiences violence, and one out of every four has been or will be sexually assaulted or abused, said Irene Anderson. Anderson is the director of the Oasis Center, a center for sexual assault and relationship violence in Old Main.

She added that the Oasis Center received 66 reports of previous or current dating and domestic violence between July 2000 and last June. seventy-nine cases of sexual assault or abuse and 45 cases of harassment and stalking were reported during the same time period.

However, Anderson added that these numbers may not reflect a true picture of how many members of the University of Arizona community experience sexual assault, violence or harassment because the incidents are traditionally underreported.

Jessica Patze, an Associated Students of the University of Arizona senator, said she thought sponsoring the week was necessary.

"I just think that with more and more articles we read everyday, and with more and more stories that we hear from our peers, women's safety is an issue that needs to be stood up for on campus and needs to be addressed," she said.

There will be three events related to women's safety this week.

A women's self-defense workshop tomorrow is intended to teach women how to respond in the event of an attack.

"It's very empowering for women to realize they can be safe and can protect themselves," Patze said.

The workshop is designed to give women's muscles "memory," so that responding to an attack becomes an automatic reflex, instead of women "freezing up" in fear, or taking the time to think before they respond, said LeeAnn Crickenberger, public relations director for the Women's Resource Center.

"It's almost perfect timing that this is coming out after (the Oct. 3) event," Crickenberger said, referring to a UA student who was sexually assaulted near campus.

The workshop is also designed to teach women the correct move for getting out of a situation when no other move will work, Crickenberger said.

However, attendance at last year's self-defense workshops was low, with two to 10 women at each workshop when there was actually room for 100.

If attendance increases this year, there will be up to one workshop per week instead of one per month and possibly advanced-level workshops, Crickenberger said.

Members of the Women's Resource Center, Campus Acquaintance Rape Educators, ASUA and the Oasis Center have joined to plan this week at the UA.

The self-defense workshop will be held at Coronado Residence Hall tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. There is no charge and any woman may attend. The class is first-come, first-serve. All are encouraged to wear workout clothes.