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CONTACT:
Kerry-Ann Hamilton
Media Relations Manager
k_hamilton@howard.edu
202.238.2332
Howard University
Launches ‘Red Flag Campaign’
to Educate Students on the
Warning Signs of Dating Violence
Howard
University and Verizon launched
the Red Flag Campaign on Oct.
1. The upper quadrangle of
Howard's main campus was blanketed
with red flags to help raise
awareness about domestic violence
and urge students to take
action when they see friends
in abusive relationships.
(Justin D. Knight/HU Communications)
WASHINGTON
(Oct. 1, 2010) – Howard
University has teamed up with
the Verizon Foundation and
Verizon Wireless to alert
students to the warning signs
of dating violence and to
encourage students to speak
up when they see friends in
abusive relationships.
As
a kick-off for Domestic Violence
Awareness Month, Howard University
will launch its Red Flag Campaign
today dropping small red flags
with key messages on the grounds
of the college campus and
placing posters that help
educate students about dating
violence in prime locations
on the campus as well.
"The
Yeardley Love tragedy was
a wake-up call for all of
us who work with young people,"
said Barbara Griffin, Ph.D.,
vice president for student
affairs at Howard University.
"What we like so much
about the Red Flag Campaign
is that it challenges students
to watch out for friends who
may be involved in an unhealthy
relationship. Our message
is: 'When you see a red flag,
speak up.' "
According
to a U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
report, women between the
ages of 16 and 24 experience
the highest rates of domestic
violence. Some ‘red
flags’ of abusive relationships
include emotional abuse, excessive
jealousy, isolation, victim
blaming, coercion, sexual
assault and stalking.
Mike
Maiorana, regional president
for Verizon Wireless in Maryland,
Virginia and Washington, said:
“It’s important
for young people to know that
abuse does not have to be
physical to be damaging. Emotional
abuse needs to be taken just
as seriously, and this campaign
helps us all identify it.
We’re proud to fund
this award-winning, effective
program, which is being embraced
by colleges across the nation.”
In
addition to its Red Flag Campaign,
Howard will join Verizon and
Verizon Wireless in a special
on-campus screening of “Telling
Amy’s Story,”
a PBS documentary that Penn
State Public Broadcasting
produced with funding from
the Verizon Foundation. The
documentary, which airs nationwide,
chronicles the life of Amy
Homan McGee, a Verizon Wireless
employee killed in 2001 by
her estranged husband.
Students
then will participate in an
interactive panel discussion
on the topic of domestic and
dating violence with community,
health and law enforcement
experts.
The
Virginia Sexual and Domestic
Violence Action Alliance created
the Red Flag Campaign in 2007
with funding from the Verizon
Foundation and Verizon Wireless
HopeLine ® program. The
campaign now appears on over
50 college campuses across
the country.
Howard
University received a $5,000
grant from the Verizon Wireless
HopeLine® program to support
the campus’ Red Flag
Campaign. Through HopeLine,
no-longer-used wireless phones
– all models, from all
wireless carriers –
are collected and accessories
are refurbished, recycled
or sold. Proceeds benefit
victims of domestic violence
through grants and the donation
of wireless phones and service.
Since
HopeLine’s recycling
program was launched nationwide
in 2001, Verizon Wireless
has collected more than 7
million phones and awarded
more than $7.9 million in
cash grants. More importantly,
the program has kept more
than 200 tons of electronic
waste and batteries out of
landfills. Phones are accepted
at Verizon Wireless stores
across the nation and on Howard
University’s campus
at the Blackburn Center. For
additional program information,
visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
To
increase awareness of dating
violence and Howard’s
Red Flag Campaign, WHUT-TV
will air “Telling Amy’s
Story” on Oct. 17 at
8 p.m.; Oct. 19 at 9 p.m.;
and Oct. 23 at 10 p.m. The
trailer can be viewed at http://telling.psu.edu/.
For
more information on the Red
Flag Campaign, visit www.TheRedFlagCampaign.org.
###
DeAnne
Bradley, media relations intern,
contributed to this release.
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