If students have wanted a chance to avenge the authorities, they will have the opportunity to dunk a cop in water as part of Safety Week.

Safe Campuses Now is sponsoring a series of on-campus events to encourage safe Spring Break plans and to ensure that “getting there is half the fun.”

“Every spring and fall semester, we have a safety week and put together a set of comprehensive programs,” said Kathryn Keith Sims, executive director for Safe Campuses Now. “While these are safety issues we try to address every day, the spring program is geared toward Spring Break decisions.”

Today a former Oglethorpe University athlete will speak about his experience in a car accident involving a drunk driver in Student Learning Center room 101 at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday the annual Girls’ Night Out and Guys’ Night Out programs will cover the issues of sexual assault, rape and risk reduction. Susan Cash will tell of her encounter of being held at gunpoint and raped, and William Stuld will tell the men about his experience with unintentional statutory rape.

“I think the personal stories drive home the point that this happens to real people,” Sims said. “Women who hear Susan’s testimony about being shot, raped and left for dead will see that it’s not just something tragic you see on television.”

The women’s program in the SLC room 101 will address relationship violence and dating safety. The men’s program in SLC room 248 will cover legal questions and misread signals. Both programs are from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Although there seems to be a stereotypical difference between the programs, Sims said they are relevant to the different audiences.

“Nine out of 10 sexual assault victims are women, and that’s the reality,” she said. “And the men’s program isn’t accusatory. It’s a casual opportunity to ask questions they typically wouldn’t have, especially with the police chief and district attorney.”

While sexual assault continues to be an ongoing issue, Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said, “We’re here to help the students. These are open forums to ask questions and see how the law applies.”
Safe Campuses Now also will offer self-defense classes in March and April.

The group will wrap up Safety Week with the Spring Break Safety Block Party on the lawns of Chi Phi and Kappa Alpha fraternities from 5 to 10 p.m. on March 6.

Students can try their hands at dunking University police in the “Dunk a Cop” booth or don beer goggles and attempt the golf cart obstacle course.
“At 10 p.m., glow necklaces with pedestrian safety information will be handed out,” Sims said. “Last year, 400 were handed out in 45 minutes.”

In addition to the safety programs, members of Safe Campuses Now will hand out checklists on Thursday, Friday and Monday to remind students how to make their dorm rooms or apartments safe for Spring Break.