“Our VOICE launches innovative curriculum to prevent Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault on College Campuses at UNCA”

Asheville, NC — Our VOICE is thrilled to announce the official launch of CODE RED, a new curriculum developed to end Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) on college campuses.  The launch will be celebrated in collaboration with UNC Asheville, in Highsmith Union 104 on Thursday, August 25, 2016, at 9 a.m.

Statistics show that more than 50% of college sexual assaults occur during the period of time from August to November, also known as the “Red Zone.”  Alcohol use is associated with at least 50% of college sexual assaults underscoring the importance of addressing consent, drug facilitated sexual assault, and bystander intervention strategies.  “Working to prevent DFSA on college campuses is a cornerstone to ending sexual violence in our community,” said Angélica Wind, Executive Director of Our VOICE, “as we know, sexual assault on college campuses is an important issue in our country, and this program will get us one step closer to preventing perpetrators from using alcohol and drugs to prey on others.”

The CODE RED curriculum engages college-aged student in interactive activities, role plays, workshops, and in-depth discussions that strive to prevent the occurrence of DFSA and sexual violence, a national epidemic impacting universities and colleges across the country. Our VOICE seeks to engage students, faculty, staff, athletes, members of Greek organizations and other members of the campus community to come together to end sexual violence.  Over the past year, UNCA has served as the pilot site for curriculum.  This is one of many collaborations that UNCA has had with Our VOICE to address college sexual assault.

Dr. Jill Moffitt, Title IX director and associate vice-chancellor for student affairs at UNC Asheville highlights that, “In addition to the launch of this [CODE RED] curriculum at UNC Asheville, Our VOICE serves as an integral part of the Sexual Assault Response Team on our campus, which is a unique model in higher education and a system that we continue to hone through this robust collaboration. Our VOICE’s knowledge and expertise is important in the work we are doing to a create safer campus and provide victim-centered services to students impacted by sexual assault.”

Our VOICE’s aim is not to demonize alcohol consumption on college campuses, but rather to open dialogue about alcohol’s role in sexual assault. While there are many substances used in crimes of sexual assault, alcohol is the most common substance used in DFSA on college campuses. Often alcohol is the only substance used by perpetrators to incapacitate their victims. Open community dialogue and education around sexual violence on college campuses is critical, and has the power to end violence before it begins.

Members of the public are invited to CODE RED launch. To rsvp, please email Matt Lynn, Our VOICE’s Prevention Education Outreach Coordinator, at matthewl@ourvoicenc.org

For more information about Our VOICE please visit www.ourvoicenc.org.