BY JESSALYN KIRCHHOFF
The second annual Love & Healthy Relationship Expo is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 5. This event is being put on to raise awareness during April, the National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and event coordinator Ziwei Qi, explains why the first Love & Healthy Relationship Expo, in 2022, was held as well as the event’s history.
“Student researchers at the Center for Empowering Victims of Gender-based Violence originally proposed this idea. During April, other universities and colleges organize awareness events with community organizations to educate students and communities on issues of sexual violence, prevention, and intervention, as well as services available on campus and in the communities,” Qi said.
Qi recounts how the expo was brought to FHSU and what it has to offer for not only the university, but also the surrounding community members.
“As a campus research center, we wanted to collaborate with organizations to host an information fair,” she said. “The FHSU community and public can learn more about what FHSU offers to address healthy relationships, prevention and intervention of sexual violence, and the services available to students.”
Qi said the expo is an excellent opportunity to connect resources within the Hays communities to students, faculty, and staff and to discuss issues on healthy relationships and sexual violence intervention.
“Engaging in this conversation is critical to making our community aware of these issues and working together to provide equitable, trauma-informed services,” she said.
Qi said according to RAINN, a national organization on sexual violence education and prevention, on-campus sexual violence gender-based violence – including sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment, and other crimes perpetuated against an individual’s gender or gender identity – has been pervasive and considered a human rights violation for at least the last five decades.
“Women between 18 and 24 are at an elevated risk of sexual violence. Among undergraduate students, approximately 27 percent of women and seven percent of men experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation,” she said.
Due to the high incidence rate and detrimental impact of sexual violence, crime, and victimization, universities and campuses collaboratively work on education and prevention to raise awareness of sexual violence and provide accessible services and support to students.
Like most colleges, FHSU also regularly hosts events during April Sexual Assault Awareness month. Qi speaks on this from the university’s point of view.
“I believe this event aligns with the university’s mission, and is an excellent opportunity to educate students on how to engage in healthy relationships and introduce campus/community resources to the FHSU community,” she said.
Participants of the 2023 FHSU Love & Healthy Relationship Expo can expect to be provided with vital information and essential training about relationship health, the resources available to the students and to the community, and critical issues within healthy relationships.
The following educational topics will also be included in the fair.
- Advocacy & Awareness Training Healthy Relationship Inventory
- Bystander Intervention & Reporting
- How to Foster Healthy Relationships
- How to Identify Community Resources
- How to report sexual assault cases to the police
- Providing services and support for LGBTQIA2S+ communities
- Victim Blaming & Why It is Wrong
The event is open to students, faculty, staff, community members, and beyond. There is no admission fee to attend and this is a come-and-go event.
Guests can browse the fair at their own pace and learn about various pieces of information from visiting each of the eight organizations. Each training session is intended to be less than 15 minutes to allow members to visit all the organizations.
Participants can enjoy light refreshments throughout the event and can also, voluntarily, participate in a pre-and post-surveys to expand further events.
The Love & Healthy Relationship Expo is hosted by the Center for Empowering Victims of Gender-based Violence (Criminal Justice Program), FHSU Student Engagement, FHSU Compliance Office, FHSU Health and Wellness Center, FHSU Art for Social Change, FHSU Police Department, FHSU Student Government, and FHSU Department of Social Work.
The community partners include Jana’s Campaign and Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services. Without this list of organizations, the Expo would not be made possible.
The event will take place from 6:00 to 7:30 pm (CST) in the FHSU Black and Gold Room located in the Memorial Union. Further information regarding the upcoming event can be found by emailing Ziwei Qi, event coordinator, at z_qi5@fhsu.edu.
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