Volume CXXXIII, Number 7 October 31, 2003

Show support, wear red on V-Day

To the Editors:

On Wednesday November 5th, V-Day Bowdoin College 2004 will be holding the first annual "Red Shirt Campaign." We ask all students, faculty and staff who have either personally experienced or known someone who has been affected by sexual assault or domestic violence to wear a red shirt. We hope that the presence of red on this day will serve as a reminder of the pervasiveness of this issue in our community. By wearing a red shirt you are commemorating and supporting those who have been assaulted.

This event is part of V-Day's larger mission to promote awareness of how sexual assault and domestic violence affect our lives on campus. V-Day is about ending violence against women and girls. An essential part of this effort is making the problem visible so that we can move beyond shame and violation towards healing and prevention. It is important to recognize that a small liberal arts college in Maine such as Bowdoin is neither immune nor isolated from acts of violence. Furthermore, acts of violence affect women even when they do not happen physically at Bowdoin; the threat and/or memory of violence follow us wherever we go. The goal of the Red Shirt Campaign is to call attention to and generate a dialogue on how the Bowdoin community is affected by these issues.

Throughout the day, there will be an information table in the Union where representatives of V-Day Bowdoin College 2004 will be available to answer questions about the campaign and the broader purpose of V-Day. We will also be offering people the opportunity to share their stories through an anonymous report form that will be available at the Red Shirt Campaign table and other V-Day events. For those who will not be wearing a red shirt, ribbons will be available to show your support for survivors.

Additionally, there will be an opportunity to commemorate those who have suffered and reflect on these emotional issues through a quiet vigil. The vigil will gather in front of the Smith Union polar bear at 8:00 p.m. We invite and encourage all to participate in the campaign events.

Sincerely,
V-Day Bowdoin 2004 Committee
Barbara Condliffe '04
Allison Milld '04
Kristin Pollock '04
Emily Sheffield '06

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