Cottey presents program on sexual assault April 23

The Cottey College Office of Student Life presents a program on sexual assault titled "Let's Talk About IT!" on Wednesday, April 23, at 8 p.m., in the Missouri Recital Hall. The program is free.

In their original program, Kelly Addington and Becca Tieder inspire students to honestly discuss sexual assault and the issues surrounding it. Using humor, bold-faced honesty, and real-life scenarios, Addington and Tieder address the issues of sexual violence as students have never heard before. They share their experience with date rape and talk about how students can prevent sexual assault, offer support for survivors, and provide specific information about how to help a friend. Addington and Tieder provide students with the drive, tools, and knowledge to make a difference on today's college campus.

One is a survivor of a sexual assault and one is that survivor's best friend. Some time after the assault, "We recognized the opportunity to share our story and empower students to revolutionize campus climate and culture. Deep down we knew that if we stopped making students feel guilty for being sexually curious or sexually active, we could unite them. Not men against women but together, men and women as a campus community. We believed that if we simply explained what sexual assault is and how we can prevent it, change would occur," the team's Web site says. And, so, the theater major and the social worker put their skills and insights to work, bringing their message to students across the country, and even talking about "it" on NBC Dateline.

For more information, visit their Web site at www.kellyandbecca.com., where there's a link to the Dateline report on YouTube.

The Recital Hall is inside the Haidee and Allen Wild Center for the Arts located on the northeast corner of Austin and Tower streets in Nevada.