April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), and this year, various student organizations at Luther are joining forces to host events aimed at raising awareness about sexual violence.
Norse Against Sexual Assault (NASA), in collaboration with various groups and departments across campus, is hosting five events throughout the month, such as the “What Were You Wearing” gallery, Jane-Jistsu, Condom Bingo, and more. The aim of these events is to educate and inform the Luther community about sexual assault on campus.
Title IX Coordinator Kasey Nikkel talked about the importance of the events and how students should interact with them. She said that NASA and ABY are providing “a huge service to the student body” and appreciated the role Luther students are taking in organizing these events.
“I do appreciate when students have [a] stake in these types of events because normally student-inspired events are better received from the student body,” Nikkel said. “I think that Luther College is not immune to this difficult topic, and I hope that students know that there is support here on campus, whether they choose to engage with Title IX, Student Engagement, Counseling Services, or even advocacy through Riverview center. We are really here to help and we want to make sure students feel safe and feel like they can thrive in this academic environment.”
NASA has organized most of the events and has co-sponsored several others. President Chloe Rozga (‘25) talked about not only the importance of the events but what she hopes her classmates take away from the events.
“I hope that our student body shows up to the events to demonstrate how important sexual assault awareness and prevention is to them,” Rozga said. “ It happens everywhere, but if we work together on educating our community about consent, bystander intervention, and other important topics, we can be part of the solution. Together we can make our campus safer and more supportive to survivors.”
Oftentimes, participating in an event can be as easy as spending ten minutes in the Union, such as visiting the “What Were You Wearing” exhibit in the Union Gallery. The exhibit displays a variety of outfits worn by victims of sexual assault and shares their stories. Alexys Harwood (‘26) talked about the ease of having the exhibit in the Union, and how impactful it was to her and other students.
“I am super grateful to NASA and Title IX for hosting the exhibit and putting it in the Union,” Harwood said. “I feel that exhibits like this keep people engaged and grounded in what the purpose of the month is. Luther is affected by sexual assault, and we need to be open and honest about it so that all students feel comfortable speaking about it and reporting it.”
All of these SAAM events are free to students, except for “Stride Through Their Story,” a ABY/NASA organized 5k run/walk fundraiser on April 28 that all Luther community members can participate in for $10. All proceeds from the “Stride Through Their Story” will go to the Rivervew Center in Decorah which supports survivors of violence and sexual assault. NASA and ABY encourage students to attend SAAM events and spread the word to their friends.
Reflecting on the importance of the month of April, Nikkel provided a reminder that sexual assault is a huge issue facing college students, and highlighted how SAAM contributes to solving this problem.
“We know [sexual assault] happens on our college campus, and so having a month dedicated to the topic, the prevalence, the prevention, and education efforts that can surround a campus community only fosters more dialogue to reduce stigma,” Nikkel said. “It allows more students to access support and resources for their own needs, and the ultimate goal is to foster a safer campus community for all students.”
Editor’s Note: In addition to being President of NASA, Rozga is also a Social Media Manager for CHIPS. Resources for Luther students who experience sexual violence can be found at luther.edu/title-ix/get-help-now.
