Logo created by Patricia J. Wallace, who won this year's Take Back the Night Logo Competition.

The Wayne State University President's Commission on the Status of Women (COSW) will host two events during the month of April in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The annual campaign seeks to raise awareness about sexual assault, educate communities on how to prevent it and provide a safe space for survivors of sexual abuse to make their voices heard. The commission hopes to end the silence about sexual violence by encouraging students, faculty, staff and the public to speak out against it.

"Our mission involves educating the campus and community about challenges women face and engaging them in creating solutions to those problems," said COSW Chair Kimberly Morgan. "Our Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities not only provide information for the public and support for victims and survivors, but they also promote the participation and partnerships that are often necessary to address those issues successfully."

The fourth annual Rise Above event, presented by Genders Affecting Media and Entertainment in partnership with COSW and the Not for Sale Campaign, is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. Monday, April 6, in the ballroom of the Wayne State Student Center Building. The domestic violence awareness program will include speakers, poets, information tables and giveaways. Participants are also asked to support a hygiene drive; contributions will be donated to a domestic violence shelter.

The commission, in collaboration with First Step and the SASHA (Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing and Awareness) Center, will host its annual Take Back the Night event at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, also in the Student Center ballroom. Take Back the Night is an international event focused on ending sexual violence. Since its inception, hundreds of marches have taken place in more than 30 countries. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy -- who has drawn national attention to the lack of funding that has limited the ability of many cities to process rape kits and prosecute perpetrators of sexual assault -- will be the keynote speaker.

Other presenters include Joanne Smith-Darden, assistant professor for research in the WSU School of Social Work; Kalimah Johnson, assistant professor of social work at Marygrove College and founder of the SASHA Center; spoken word artist John Trimble; and sexual assault survivor Carley Cook. Attendees will have the opportunity to obtain information about local resources, participate in a march/rally on campus, share their thoughts and experiences during the open mic session, and make a contribution to Enough SAID (Sexual Assault in Detroit), the collaborative initiative between the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, the Michigan Women's Foundation and the Detroit Crime Commission that is raising funds to test more than 11,000 forgotten rape kits.

"COSW has hosted an annual Take Back the Night event on campus for more than 20 years," said Robin Collins, chair of the outreach committee. "Information, inspiration and collaboration have been a central focus of the program. By working with organizations on campus and in the community, we have the potential to engage, educate and empower a broader audience. We are especially proud and excited that Prosecutor Worthy will be joining us for this year's program and that we have the opportunity to support Enough SAID. Helping ensure that local agencies have the resources they need to investigate crimes, prosecute cases and bring perpetrators to justice provides hope, healing and closure to victims and increases the safety of our community."

One in three women and one in six men worldwide will experience some form of sexual violence at some point in their lifetime, yet less than 50 percent of victims report those crimes. Therefore, the theme of the Commission's event is "Speak Up - Silent No More." Patricia J. Wallace, the winner of this year's Take Back the Night Logo Competition -- which was sponsored by COSW and First Step -- integrated the slogan into her design. The logo can be found on flyers, buttons and other promotional items for this year's activity.

Both programs are free and open to the public, and will be held in the ballroom of Wayne State's Student Center Building, located at 5221 Gullen Mall in Detroit. For more information about these activities, contact Robin Collins at 313-577-4935 or robin.collins@wayne.edu, or Sara Byczek at 313-577-8654 or sara.byczek@wayne.edu.

About the Wayne State University President's Commission on the Status of Women
The Wayne State University President's Commission on the Status of Women strives to increase communication about opportunities and events for women and to raise awareness of women's needs and issues through programming, advocacy, and dissemination of information. To learn more, please visit cosw.wayne.edu.

About Genders Affecting Media and Entertainment
Genders Affecting Media and Entertainment is a WSU student organization that strives to challenge, educate and inspire both women and men through the analysis of mainstream media and its effects on gender roles. For more information, visit doso.wayne.edu/list-of-student-organizations.html.

About the Not for Sale Campaign
A WSU student organization, the Not for Sale Campaign is dedicated to raising awareness on campus about different types of human trafficking, including but not limited to, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, organ trafficking and child trafficking. The organization hosts monthly meetings and several educational and social events throughout the year. To learn more, visit doso.wayne.edu/list-of-student-organizations.html.

About First Step
Since 1978, First Step has been a change agent in reducing domestic violence and sexual assault in Wayne County. Its mission is to reduce the incidence of domestic and sexual violence and to provide services to individuals affected by these crimes. Its ultimate goal is to prevent domestic and sexual violence through education, advocacy and appropriate intervention. For more information, visit firststep-mi.org.

About the SASHA Center
The SASHA Center is a sexual assault service, prevention and educational agency that provides support to survivors of sexual assault. Its mission is to increase awareness, provide resources and educate the public about sexual assault, provide culturally specific peer support groups to self identified survivors of rape and increase justice and visibility for survivors in Southeast Michigan. To learn more, visit sashacenter.org.