Local groups hold clothing drive
for area sexual assault victims
Jessica Sellers
Clubs | Organizations Beat
Victims of domestic
and sexual assault who decide to go to the hospital after being
assaulted are not allowed to keep the clothes they were wearing
when the assault happened, according to O.A.S.I.S., a non-profit
service organization devoted to helping victims of abuse.
Many organizations on campus help O.A.S.I.S. by conducting clothing
drives, or by simply volunteering their time and efforts.
Men Against Rape (MAR) member Gayathri Vijayagopalan said the group
is holding a clothing drive to benefit victims of sexual and domestic
assault.
The clothing drive runs through Friday. Clothing drop-off boxes
are located in Lovill and Belk residence halls, as well as in the
Women’s Center on the first floor of W.H. Plemmons Student
Union.
Vijayagopalan said students and faculty can bring clothing to the
drop-off points, or if they need someone to pick up their clothing,
they can call 266-7118.
Shelley Wainscott, a staff member for O.A.S.I.S., said the organization
does many things for victims of sexual and domestic assault.
“We do hospital advocacy, where we go to the hospital with
them and offer comfort and support,” Wainscott said Friday.
Wainscott also said O.A.S.I.S. provides crisis counseling for victims
and that a sexual assault support group is starting soon.
O.A.S.I.S. has held used-clothing drives since the beginning, and
a clothing collection program has existed for about three years.
O.A.S.I.S. staff transport clothes collected to the hospital. Staff
members take a kit, which includes helpful and needed information
and clothes for the victims to wear out of the hospital.
MAR, in its first year as a club at Appalachian, has ushered at
the Vagina Monologues, and they are participating in the upcoming
Sexual Assault Awareness Week.
For more information about sexual assault or O.A.S.I.S., visit http://www.oasisinc.org.
To get involved with MAR, O.A.S.I.S. and other organizations that
are active in the fight against sexual assault, call O.A.S.I.S.
at 264-1532 or MAR advisors Dr. Rafael Harris or Dr. Chris Hogan
with the Counseling Center at 262-3180.
