VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver has partnered with The National Women's Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation to come up with a campaign to end sexual assault and domestic violence.
Teams of WSU students are challenged to come up with a campaign that will educate not only students, but also the community, with a goal of putting an end to abuse.
The winning campaign will launch March 9, 2018 at the Women's Festival Northwest.
“We are trying to target the younger generation to stop not talking about it,” said WSU senior Melanie Shelton, mentioning a trend of silence after sexual assault or violence happens.
"We are the future and this is our goal, that things will change,” said WSU senior Katie Yates.
Both women are on teams coming up with a unique campaign that will have local and even statewide impact.
This is the first time WSU Vancouver has partnered with The National Women's Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation, also called NWCAVE.
Michelle Bart is its president. “I would like to know that the students can turn to their children and say, ‘Did you see that successful program, or that law, or that education program in the schools now? I was part of that. I founded that.’”
"This gives us the opportunity to talk about it in new ways and really to effect change,” said WSU Vancouver spokeswoman Elizabeth Candello.
The new campaign will launch under the branch of Washington Says No More, part of a nationwide movement to end sexual assault and domestic violence.