Moria Dailey
Published: November 23, 2005
Emily Mahood has taken Angel Hill’s place as the head of PJC’s Rape Risk Reduction Education Program (RRRE). The program, which is funded by a 40-month grant, received in 2003, is really meant to focus on education, Mahood said.
The presentations are 50 minutes long and deal with subjects such as rape, binge drinking and club drugs. Participants learn about what is considered rape, what date rape drugs are and how they can prevent putting themselves in situations where they have an increased chance of being raped.
Students also learn that, according to Florida law, sex under the influence of alcohol can be considered rape.
Mahood said the program is still similar to Hill’s; it includes presentations to clubs, college success classes and any other class in which the teacher wants her to speak.
While there is not a licensed counselor on campus anymore, Mahood said “Basically, I’m here. I can listen, answer questions, and do referrals.” She refers all victims that come to her to Lakeview Center. The college and Lakeview have had a partnership since the beginning of the program.
Mahood’s goals as head of the program lie in getting students more involved in the program. She wants to start a volunteer victim advocacy program, with student volunteers and a peer support and discussion group on campus, like those at the University of West Florida.
She is also interested in starting an awareness group to give students another forum in which to discuss and learn about ways they can keep themselves safe.
Mahood also wants to schedule a speak-out on campus in April, which is Sexual Violence Awareness Month. She is working with UWF’s sexual violence groups and with Lakeview Center to organize a community-wide Take Back the Night event in April.
“At the college, I’d like to get the administration out there and give them a chance to say the college is behind these issues,” Mahood said. She also wants to give victims time to have their stories heard.
The program’s grant cycle runs out in October 2006 and Mahood said they are planning on reapplying for it.
“It’ll stay similar, but I want to expand the student participation and prevention aspect of the program,” she said.
Mahood encourages women to attend self-defense classes, though they are not offered through the program.
“As a young woman, I feel I should go to a self-defense class; it’s just hard to get information on the when and where,” PJC student Anna Stevenson said.
There are classes at UWF that are open to the community. “They had one recently, in September I think,” Mahood said, explaining that she will let people know when the next class is.
