Verizon Wireless Launches Know It Forward in Alabama to Raise the Awareness of Sexual Assault Among College Age Students

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless today launched "Know It Forward," a social media campaign aimed at increasing the awareness of sexual assault, particularly among college age students.

Throughout the month of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Verizon Wireless will visit college campuses in Alabama and encourage students to visit www.KnowItForward.com to learn about the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses, find out how to reduce the risk of it and discover ways to share the information with their personal network through social media.

College age women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted than the general public, and an estimated one in four female college students will become victims of sexual assault during their college career, according to studies from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Verizon Wireless is a recognized corporate leader for its commitment to preventing domestic violence and raising awareness of the issue through its HopeLine program (www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline). The company is launching a variety of initiatives across the south this April focused on sexual assault awareness as an extension of the focus on domestic and family violence.

"Because of our great relationships with universities in Alabama as well as non-profits that focus on sexual assault and domestic violence, we felt we had a real opportunity in Alabama to reach young people and help them educate their peers about this issue," said Jeff Mango, president – Alabama/Georgia Region for Verizon Wireless. "We want to provide information on this topic in a way that is impactful, memorable and is easy to share with friends and family."

At www.KnowItForward.com, everyone can easily share the Web site with friends and family on Facebook or Twitter and embed the Know It Forward video in their blog posts.

Schools included on Verizon Wireless' Know It Forward campus tour this month include the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, Auburn University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University.

KNOW IT. FORWARD IT. KNOWITFORWARD.COM.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq:VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, Nasdaq: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless