Thinking About Domestic Violence in the Context of College Campuses

The JWI Mother’s Day Flower Project is an important opportunity to restart the conversation about domestic violence and sexual assault. Thinking about the relationship between mothers and daughters, siblings, aunt and niece, raises the question of these issues and what young women face in regards to them. Recently, sexual assault and intimate partner violence have become hot-button issues on many college campuses, and rightly so. The college experience is supposed to be one of intellectual, emotional discovery and development. Sexual violence, especially considering how pervasive it is, disrupts that experience and renders it disempowering. In recognition of these challenges, the White House issued a new report this week on sexual assault on college campuses, part of the broader initiatives “Not Alone” and “1 is 2 Many.” I highly suggest watching the PSA at the top of the 1 is 2 Many page – a very moving one featuring many familiar, famous faces. This is an important step that will generate greater public attention to these critical issues. Hopefully this report and related media coverage will help to shed more light on violence against women as a whole. No doubt that discussions of violence against women incite passion and emotion. This is a scourge that demands action. One of the most powerful ways to create the incentive to tackle domestic violence from a policy perspective is to have the conversation at a personal and communal level. An easy and meaningful way to do so is through the JWI Flower Project. Mother’s Day Flower Project lets you give a gift that honors everything your mom has given you, and the person you have become because of her. Through the annual Mother’s Day Flower Project, JWI will send bouquets of flowers, as well as beauty products from OPI Products, Inc., to 200 shelters across the United States. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"90476","attributes":{"class":"media-image size-full wp-image-14774 aligncenter","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"216","height":"183","alt":"RememberHer_Every24Hours_WRJ_blog"}}]]Here’s how it works:

• Choose an inspiring woman in your life – mother, sister, wife, daughter, friend – and make a $25 donation to JWI in her honor;
• JWI will send a beautiful card, which will arrive by Mother’s Day, to each recipient you designate, sharing that a charitable contribution has been made in her honor;
• JWI uses proceeds from the sale of the cards to send the bouquets and beauty products to domestic violence shelters on Mother’s Day
• Your donation funds JWI’s work, and a portion also goes back to WRJ!

You can buy your Mother’s Day Flower Project cards online here!

Also, be sure to check WRJblog between now and Mother’s Day for more updates and information about this policy issue and Jewish perspectives on this.