The issue of getting consent for sex was COURAGE's main focus during tabling. Miriam Varrere... Close to home...

The issue of getting consent for sex was COURAGE's main focus during tabling. Miriam Varrere, a senior women's studies major from Oakland, Calif., and one of the three COURAGE student coordinators, said that it is important to always ask for consent from a partner, whether a person is in a relationship or having a one-night stand.

COURAGE members handed out ”consent kits," which held information about intimate partner violence, messages about how to ask for consent, a condom, chocolate, and chapstick.

”A lot of people don't want to ask [for consent] because they're afraid they're going to ruin the moment," said Varrere, ”but there are a lot of ways to creatively ask without spoiling the moment."

COURAGE stands for CU Rape and Gender Education Program, and its main focus is to educate students to help reduce sexual victimization and create a supportive environment for survivors.

It is an educational group that gives presentations about domestic and intimate-partner violence to various campus groups that have requested the service, including dorms and Greek housing, peer education, and academic classes.

Sigma Psi Zeta is an Asian-interest sorority, and its mission is to promote Asian and Asian-American culture and unity among women. Its national philanthropy is centered in combating violence against women.

One of its national projects is the Purple Ribbon Campaign, where sorority members distribute purple ribbons to symbolize the suffering of victims of domestic violence.

One of the philanthropy chairs, Alvina Yeh, a senior political science and international affairs major from Westminster, Colo., said the sorority wants the ribbons to become as well-known as the red and pink ribbons for AIDS and breast cancer awareness, respectively.

Sigma Psi Zeta believes that domestic abuse is an important issue to be aware of. Domestic abuse is often kept private - especially so in Asian culture, said Dang.

According to the COURAGE website, http://www.colorado. edu/organizations/COURAGE, one in four women and one in ten men is sexually assaulted in his or her lifetime.

”Violence affects the lives of millions of women worldwide, in all socio-economic and educational classes. It cuts across cultural and religious barriers," said http://www.sigma psizeta.org, the sorority's national Web site.

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admin – Wed, 2005 – 10 – 12 00:00