BLACK COLLEGES VS FEMALE VIOLENCE

WASHINGTON -- Over 3,500 students at eight (8) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) — Clark Atlanta University, Coppin State University, Howard University, Lemoyne-Owen College, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University and Prairie View A&M University—participated in the 3rd Denim Day at HBCUs today.

The HBCU movement for Denim Day is organized by Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW): The HBCU Project, an initiative funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health and The Wright Group.

The Wright Group and EVAW are sponsors of Denim Day in USA 2011. Denim Day is a project of Peace Over Violence—a non-profit, feminist, multicultural, volunteer organization dedicated to building healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual, domestic and interpersonal violence. Denim Day was launched in 1999, in protest of an Italian High Court ruling that overturned a rape conviction because the victim was wearing "tight" jeans.

"Today there is a movement of African American students who visibly stand united as one HBCU campus for Denim Day, recognizing their role as champions for survivors in eliminating shame, stigma and blame-- one fellow student at a time," saidAmelia Cobb, Director of Ending Violence Against Women.

In April 2010, over 2,000 students on six HBCU campuses participated in Denim Day at HBCUs and signed the No Violence Against Women (NO VAW) Pledge which included celebrity e-card messaging from Howard University alumnae, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Malaak Compton-Rock; and radio personality, Olivia Fox.

3,500 students signed-up to join the movement this year by wearing jeans and a Denim Day at HBCUs T-Shirt as a visible sign to support ending sexual violence on college campuses.

ABOUT EVAW: THE HBCU PROJECT. Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW): The HBCU Project is a call to action for HBCU students, administration, alumni and community partners to develop a Coordinated Campus Response (CCR) or documented plan of action to prevent and end all forms of violence against women on college campuses.