Contact: Diego Abeloos
805-756-7414; dabeloos@calpoly.edu

Team will highlight Campus Health and Wellbeing program’s monthlong awareness campaign during Oct. 6 meet

SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Swimming and Diving team will don purple and white swim caps in honor of Dating Violence Action Month (DVAM) during this Friday’s meet versus UC Santa Barbara at Anderson Aquatic Center.

Hosted annually by Campus Health and Wellbeing’s Safer program, DVAM is a monthlong campaign aimed at providing learning opportunities and spreading awareness about dating violence within communities. In addition to student-athletes wearing purple and white caps, an announcement will be made at the start of the meet to recognize Safer’s campaign. Additionally, Safer representatives will host an informational booth to connect with spectators, and a collaborative social media campaign will take place throughout October.

“The Cal Poly Swimming and Diving team and coaching staff are proud to show their support and help to spread awareness about this serious issue that impacts too many individuals in today’s society,” said Interim Head Coach Tom Milich.

This year’s DVAM theme, “Pathways to Partnerships,” focuses on the journey of relationships, which are built on communication, trust and continuous growth, while highlighting the intersection between dating and sex on college campuses. As part of its monthlong offerings, Safer will provide a series of events including weekly informal lunch and learns at various lawns across campus; weekly collaborative booths; and collaborative community events.

“Partnering with athletics allows us to reach an audience with a strong contribution to our campus culture,” said Jennifer MacMartin, Safer’s violence prevention specialist. “It helps demonstrate that all departments and student activities have a stake in building a safer campus. We are so grateful to the swimmers and divers on the team who volunteered to elevate this important topic amongst their peers.”

For more information on Dating Violence Action Month programming and more, visit Safer’s DVAM page and follow @calpolysafer on Instagram.

About Safer
Cal Poly’s Safer was founded in 1996 and is now a part of Campus Health and Wellbeing’s Wellbeing Services suite of programs. Since its inception, the program has grown its prevention education, survivor wellness and confidential advocacy programs into the largest in the California State University system. Safer’s advocacy staff supports survivors of violence — and their loved ones — directly by offering confidential crisis support and advocacy, which includes crisis intervention; accompaniments to health centers, law enforcement interviews, university administrative appointments, faculty office hours; referrals and more. Safer's prevention education staff engages the campus community in setting pro-social behavior norms and encouraging community accountability to avoid violence. Visit safer.calpoly.edu.