Poets at the University of Idaho gave a voice to the constant fight against sexual violence Tuesday in the Vandal Ballroom during the second annual Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) Poetry Slam.
Sexual assault survivors and supporters of survivors shared their stories of interpersonal violence during the spoken-word event, hosted by the UI Women’s Center and Violence Prevention Programs, to begin UI’s observance of SAAM this year.
Women’s Center Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Project Director Bekah MillerMacPhee co-emceed the event with Professor of Psychology Traci Craig. MillerMacPhee said the purpose of SAAM Slam is to give UI community members an opportunity to voice their experiences with interpersonal violence and to support others. It also provides an opportunity to explore a world without interpersonal violence, she said.
“I hope it provides an outlet and a supportive community for performers as well as provides a supportive community for the audience,” MillerMacPhee said.
While similar to the F-Word Live Poetry Slam put on by the Women’s Center in the fall, SAAM Slam features poems only about people’s experiences with sexual violence. Some of these experiences were first-hand, but not all.
This year’s SAAM Slam performers included students and one faculty member. Performers had a range of experience, MillerMacPhee said.
Some performed in SAAM Slam last year, others performed in the F-Word Live Poetry Slam in the fall, and a few had never performed.
Emilie McLarnan, UI Violence Preventions Program Coordinator, said SAAM Slam gives sexual assault survivors a chance to speak out in a creative, and, for some, cathartic way in a unique venue. MillerMacPhee said she hopes SAAM Slam provides those affected by interpersonal violence an opportunity to engage when they feel ready and helps them feel empowered.
“There’s still a lot of fear around people speaking up,” MillerMacPhee said. “I want to break down the isolation, so people know there are others struggling, healing, thriving.”
McLarnan said the Women’s Center and Violence Prevention Programs started SAAM Slam last year because of the heightened interest in the F-Word Live Poetry Slam and an increase in people wanting to speak out about gender-based violence. McLarnan and MillerMacPhee agree that SAAM Slam feels more relevant to a lot of people this year, that there is a heightened level of awareness due to national and local happenings.
“We are engaging at a different level,” McLarnan said. “This deeper conversation is going to inform what we do on campus in awareness and prevention.”
MillerMacPhee said it’s great that UI is having more conversation about sexual assault awareness. She said she hopes the conversation makes people who are affected feel more supported.
With the #MeToo movement, there has been an increase in people speaking out, but there is still more to improve on, MillerMacPhee said. She said the university needs to continue providing outlets for students to share their stories, so we can envision a future without interpersonal violence.
SAAM Slam is just one of many events in April during UI’s observance of SAAM. Other events include Green Dot Bystander Training, a documentary screening, faculty training and other awareness programs.
UI has been observing SAAM for many years to promote awareness around resources, services and support for students dealing with interpersonal violence. McLarnan said it’s important to improve what the university is already doing but to also point out what the university is doing well.
“How can we draw in the strengths of our campus to change conversation around this issue?” McLarnan said.
Jordan Willson can be reached at [email protected]