VCU Health hosts Twitter chat on sexual assault

By Leha Byrd

The Virginia Commonwealth University Injury Violence and Prevention Program is hosting a Twitter chat on April 21 to discuss the effects of sexual assault.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and is designed to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities about how to prevent it, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. The chat will be held from noon to 1 p.m.

To offer the community expert information on the topic, Caitlin Shiflett, victim advocate and Project EMPOWER coordinator, and Lisette Johnson, a domestic violence survivor and Project EMPOWER peer advocate, will be available to provide live answers to questions about sexual assault and resources available to help victims. Project EMPOWER, which is under the Injury Violence and Prevention Program umbrella, is a multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to enhancing prevention and intervention services for individuals who experience intimate partner violence or sexual violence and for their families. Questions can be submitted in advance via Twitter using the hashtag #VCUHealthChat with @VCUHealth.

Also in connection with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Injury Violence and Prevention Program will host a screening of the documentary “Finding Jenn’s Voice,” which explores the nature of abusive relationships through survivors of homicide attempts by their intimate partners. The screening is at noon on April 29 in the George Ben Johnston Auditorium at 305 N. 12th St.