Sunday, March 28, 2010 5:59 am

(MURFREESBORO) – Three events aimed at raising awareness of violence against women are slated for April as extensions of the National Women’s History Month celebration at MTSU.

Volunteers will distribute literature about self-protection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Safety Awareness Day, which is Wednesday, April 7, on the first floor of the Keathley University Center (KUC).

This event is co-sponsored by the June Anderson Women’s Center, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and the Department of Public Safety.

The Women’s Center will sponsor its annual Clothesline Project from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, April 19, and Tuesday, April 20, on the KUC knoll. This visually powerful display of T-shirts emblazoned with messages and stories of sexual assault and other violence against women symbolizes the airing of society’s “dirty laundry.”

Another annual event, Take Back the Night, is a rally slated for 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, on the KUC knoll. An open microphone will be available for anyone to express views on sexual assault.

Take Back the Night also includes a candlelight vigil and a march.

“This year, we are looking for a more diverse crowd,” says Terri Johnson, director of the June Anderson Women’s Center. “Therefore, we’re reaching out to the greater community as well as the MTSU community to make a dynamic stand for safety awareness.”

All males are invited to take part in “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” during Take Back the Night. A feature initiated last year, “Walk a Mile” encourages men to take part in the march wearing high-heeled shoes to give them an idea of how women make themselves uncomfortable in order to present an attractive image.

These events are free and open to the public. Media welcomed. For more information, contact the June Anderson Women’s Center at 615-898-2193.