Hope Harbor, a regional sexual trauma recovery center, is hosting an event to help WKU students learn about sexual assault and violence. The event was organized with the help of five public relations students for their capstone project. 

The event will be held on Feb. 24th at 5 p.m. via Hope Harbor’s Instagram. While all students attending WKU are welcome to tune in, students living in Hugh Poland are able to submit anonymous questions about sexual violence and Hope Harbor’s services. 

Leandra Meredith is one of the seniors who helped organize the event. Meredith said Hugh Poland was their target audience because it is a co-ed residence hall. 

“I do feel that it’s important that people of all ages are educated on what sexual violence is and the steps to prevention,” Meredith said. “I feel like it’s especially important for the college freshmen to learn as much information as they can about sexual violence. Being a freshman you’re in a very transformational time period and for a lot of people, that’s the first time that they’ll live in close proximity of a different gender who isn’t related to them.”

The questions submitted by Hugh Poland residents will be entirely anonymous. Students will be able to submit questions through a QR code on the flyers that will be in the lobby of the residence hall.

“So it’s really up to the students in Hugh Poland to decide what they want to ask. It’s a very open, like a Q&A format,” Meredith said. “Once again, all of their questions will be anonymous so no one will know who submitted it, so everyone will have the opportunity to feel very comfortable submitting their questions.”

Meredith said Hope Harbor has done several events on campus during the past to educate students, as well as offering classes to educate any age group.

“One of the women that we’re working with has told us that they’ve come on campus,” Meredith said.  “They’ve spoken to sororities and fraternities about sexual assault intervention. I do know that they have other classes that they offer for other people, but they’re targeted towards different audiences. They have programs for K through 12, and they’re called ‘My Body Belongs to Me’.”

Debra Murray can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @debramurrayy