New Initiative on Domestic, Dating, Sexual Violence in the African-American Community to Kick Off
MEDIA ALERT
November 7, 2008
CONTACT: Luci Manning
202/371-1999
New Omega Psi Phi Violence Prevention Initiative to Kick Off When Experts Examine Domestic, Dating, Sexual Violence in the African-American Community at Howard University Monday Evening
The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) and the Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., 3rd District, will host The Links between Dating Violence and Reproductive Health in the African-American Community on Monday evening. Students, faculty and Howard University community members will hold a panel discussion on the reproductive health consequences of sexual coercion and violence - which include unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, miscarriage, infertility, coerced abortion, and other serious health issues. The event will be:
Monday, November 10 at 7:00 PM
Howard University, Cramton Auditorium
2455 Sixth Street, NW, Washington, DC
WITH
Howard University Professor Dr. Tricia Bent-Goodley
Men Can Stop Rape President and CEO Stephen Glaude
Activist and Filmmaker Byron Hurt, from God Bless the Child Productions
Break the Cycle Education & Outreach Coordinator Tabitha Joyner
The moderator will be Omega Psi Phi member and Cleveland (Ohio) Municipal Court Judge Ron Adrine, who chairs the Family Violence Prevention Fund’s Board of Directors.
In September, the FVPF launched an initiative to start a dialogue about the birth control sabotage and reproductive coercion that many teens and young women face. Its website, at www.knowmoresaymore.org, features stories from women who have experienced this violence and coercion. New research from Child Trends finds that almost one in four African-American women age 20 to 24 reports having experienced forced sexual intercourse at least once in their lives. In general, African-American women experience high rates of intimate partner violence.
With more than 700 chapters worldwide, Omega is one of the oldest and most prestigious African-American fraternities in the world.
Monday evening’s event is open to media.
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For more information, please visit www.endabuse.org or www.omegapsiphifraternity.org.
Carollee started dating a 32-year-old man when she was 19. She noticed that whole rows of pills would disappear. When Carollee called her boyfriend on the disappearing birth control, he responded that he “knew” she wanted to have his child."
