San Bernardino, CA – Partners Against Violence, a non-profit organization that provides support for survivors of sexual assault, collaborated with San Bernardino Valley College on Oct. 29 for Flower Power, an event made to inform students and faculty about the Red Zone and their campaign. The campaign is dedicated to spreading awareness about the Red Zone, a period in the fall semester for college students where the highest amount of sexual assault occurs.
This event featured an informative slideshow presentation, presented by the Community Outreach Specialist, Carmen Madueno, for Partners Against Violence. Along with the slideshow, this event also included an interactive activity for participants to get an opportunity to create a flower of support for their Flower Garden of Support. Here participants wrote on a flower words of encouragement to those who have been affected.
The organization also provided a resource table stocked with educational pamphlets, student resource guides, and small wellness items to encourage student engagement.
The Red Zone happens between late August and mid November, which is fall semester for college students. The fall semester has the highest rate of sexual assault for students, 80% of those are freshmen. With younger students being targeted, Partners Against Violence’s goal is to spread awareness as preventiveness as possible.
The organization has been touring campuses across San Bernardino County and beyond. On their tour, the organization has visited California State University San Bernardino, University of Redlands, across Palm Springs, and with plans to expand to Barstow College and across the High Desert. Throughout the tour, the events combine informative presentations and interactive activities.
Madueno explains how the Valley College activity bridges the gap between heavy awareness topics and community healing.
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“This activity is lighthearted with a strong message saying that survivors are not alone, their voices matter, and we can make a change,” Madueno said.
After learning about the Red Zone and the risks from Madueno and her educational table, participating students and faculty expressed their sincere solidarity toward survivors and asked questions on how they could help.
Many students did not know information presented to them, with many being appreciative of the organization’s effort to inform the community.
Andrew Loera, a licensed mental health counselor and clinical supervisor for Student Health Services at Valley College, emphasized the value of bringing trauma-informed resources directly to individuals on campus.
“It is important for students to know they are not alone. I want to encourage them to lean on their support, talk to a professional, someone who is equipped to handle situations like this because we don’t want individuals to be doing this process alone,” Loera said. “We want them to be supported; It is a difficult time that no one should go through. Being able to come forward can prevent it from happening to someone else.”
Valley College students that are in need of confidential support can access free crisis and counseling intervention through SBVC Student Health Services, which is located in the Administration/Student Services Building, students can also contact the Campus’s Title IX Coordinator. For Off-Campus advocacy individuals can use Partners Against Violence’s legal accompaniment and trauma-informed care, that can be accessed 24/7 from their helpline at (909) 885-8884.
Partners Against Violence continues their tour across the Inland Empire, organizations have trust that Partners Against Violence informative activities can create an environment where open dialogue is present to make sure students feel safe, supported, and heard during and after the Red Zone initiative.
