By: Anna Clark
From March 24 through March 28, Samford’s Title IX department hosted Title IX week, one of many events the department has held during Women’s History Month.
The week was packed full of activities and events based around Title IX education, women in the professional world and situational awareness and safety, as well as maintaining healthy relationships.
Some of the events included a presentation by the Science and Religion Club on “Women in STEM and Ministry”, a Title IX campus-wide scavenger hunt, situational awareness training featuring student leaders, a Title IX trivia Family Feud night — in partnership with sororities Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Delta and Delta Delta Delta — and a Red Flag Awareness event centered on fostering healthy relationships.
According to Akeim Thames, who works as a Title IX media production intern, some of students’ favorite events were the “Let Your Light Shine” Paint Party, Campus Safety Fair and the scavenger hunt.
Thames explained he was proud of this year’s events: “I think Title IX events went great this year! This year we had various attendance at each event and students really enjoyed interacting with our material.”
Title XI is a federal law amended in the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX protects individuals from discrimination based on their sex in educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance.
Title XI states that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
At Samford, Title IX is primarily focused on ending and preventing abuse and violence. This includes instances of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking and sexual harassment.
Violence and abuse against women are controversial topics, particularly in Women’s History Month. “UN Women” estimates that “736 million women — almost one in three — have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life (30 per cent of women aged 15 and older).”
This statistic does not include instances of sexual harassment. According to the same organization, most violence against women is committed by current or former husbands or intimate partners.
The Title IX, Public Safety, Samford Counseling Services and Human Resources offices at Samford work together to create and maintain a wide range of programs and events meant to increase awareness about sex and relationship violence against individuals.
These programs are designed to promote healthy relationships and inform students about relationship violence. These offices also have programs related to sexual misconduct and assault, healthy relationships, self-defense and personal safety and understanding sexual consent.
Although Title IX week is over and Women’s History Month is drawing to an end, the need to foster a safe and respectful environment for everyone remains. Violence against women and girls is a continuing issue, and Samford’s Title IX initiatives are an important and necessary step in ending that violence on Samford’s campus.
If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual or relationship violence, Samford Counseling Services are available weekdays before 5 p.m. at 205-726-2065. The Birmingham Crisis Center also has a 24-hour crisis line at 205-323-7777.
