April brings a lot of great things to State College – -a taste of football during Blue-White Weekend, Movin’ On, and (hopefully) warmer weather among them.

Penn State hopes to add an increased awareness for sexual violence to those things by bringing back Sexual Violence Prevention and Awareness Month.

The month primarily serves to deter sexual violence on campus and to eliminate the stigma associated with reporting sexual assault. It includes a series of free events that include distinguished activists in the field of human and women’s rights. Some of the events include:

• A speech by Tawokkol Karman, 2011 Nobel Prize winner and journalist on April 9 at 8 p.m. in Heritage Hall in the HUB.
• The “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event, which takes place April 10 at 1 p.m. on Pollock Road. The event lets male students walk a mile in high heels to represent how men can gain perspective on how it feels to be a woman and the struggles women must overcome.

• Writer, activist, and the editor of the book Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape Jaclyn Friedman will speak on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in 100 Thomas.

• Take Back the Night will start April 23 with a rally at Old Main at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a march around campus and downtown at 6:45.
• The Penn State Panhellenic Council will hold a self-defense seminar on April 28 from 6-8 p.m. in Alumni Hall in the HUB.

A banner signing will also be held every Monday to show support for sexual violence awareness and prevention. The banners will be in the HUB from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and in different residence halls from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.