SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In anticipation of the nationwide premiere of The Hunting Ground, a CNN Films documentary to be aired on Sunday, November 22 at 5pm PST/8pm EST, leading national nonprofits Futures Without Violence and Avon Foundation for Women launched a new Action Toolkit to help viewers take meaningful action against sexual violence on college and university campuses across the country. Utilizing first-person testimonies from student survivors and activists, The Hunting Ground explores the rampant issue of college sexual assault in the United States.
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"This powerful documentary that can leave an audience feeling angry, frustrated, or disheartened," said Lonna Davis, director of children and youth programs at Futures Without Violence. "And at the same time, many viewers are inspired by the student activists in the film and are eager to learn how they can play a role in ending sexual assault on campus. We're grateful for the generous support from Avon Foundation for Women, which has enabled us to get much needed resources, training, and support into the hands of students, advocates, and administrators across the country."
The Hunting Ground Action Toolkit, available for download free of charge, provides useful tips and action steps for a variety of audiences, including students, alumni, parents, and administrators who want to be part of the solution. The Action Toolkit is part of a series of initiatives led by Futures Without Violence and funded by Avon Foundation for Women. These collaborations include: hosting a summit for student organizers on campus, developing guidelines for college administrators and other campus stakeholders, and creating a national training institute that will serve as a blueprint for universities and colleges across the country.
"Through Avon Foundation's partnership with Futures Without Violence, as well as other like-minded organizations and individuals, we are committed to preventing and ending sexual assault on college campuses," said Christine Jaworsky, program director at Avon Foundation for Women. "Our goal is to empower both men and women to recognize the signs of abuse and empower them to stand up and speak out."
Since 2004, the Avon Foundation for Women has contributed nearly $40 million in the United States to support awareness, education, and prevention programs aimed at reducing domestic and gender violence, and to provide direct services for victims and their families. Avon Foundation for Women's initiative to curb campus sexual assault began in 2011 and the organization has since contributed more than $1.2 million through nearly 100 grants to support bystander intervention projects and initiatives that help train, educate, and empower individuals to take action when abuse is suspected or observed.
To learn more about the issue of college sexual assault, join #TheHuntingGround Twitter chat at 11am PST/2pm EST on Friday, November 20, 2015 hosted by Futures Without Violence and Avon Foundation for Women. A panel of experts—including National Women's Law Center, It's On Us, California Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and other leaders in sexual assault prevention—will discuss the issue at large, as well as proactive steps that people can take to make a difference in their communities. Join the conversation using #TheHuntingGround hashtag!
Futures Without Violence
For more than 30 years, Futures Without Violence has led the way and set the pace for innovative educational programs, public action campaigns, policy development, and leadership training designed to end violence against women, children, and families around the world. Providing leadership from offices in San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Boston, Futures Without Violence invests in the power of those affected by violence and brings individuals and communities together to create positive solutions. Instrumental in developing the landmark Violence Against Women Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1994, Futures Without Violence has established a Global Center for Leadership and Action that will engage today's diverse national and global leaders, stand with survivors, and continue working to break the silence around gender-based violence.
Avon Foundation for Women
The Avon Foundation for Women is the world's largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter most to women. Since its inception in 1955, the Avon Foundation has promoted or aided charitable, scientific, educational, and humanitarian activities, with a special emphasis on activities that improve the lives of women and their families. Through 2014, Avon global philanthropy, led by the Avon Foundation, has contributed nearly $1 billion in over 50 countries. Today, Avon philanthropy focuses on funding breast cancer research and advancing access to quality care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, and efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. Visit www.avonfoundation.org for more information.
Media Contacts:
Lauren Brisbo, Futures Without Violence
[email protected]
206.931.3284
Kristen Clonan, Avon Foundation for Women
[email protected]
212.282.6797
SOURCE Futures Without Violence
Related Links
http://futureswithoutviolence.org
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