SAVE All Is There For You

The recent sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey and Matt Lauer has devastated millions of fans. For many people, these cases ruined House of Cards, and The Today Show. These men used to bring happiness to their fans, but not anymore, since they have been exposed as monsters.

Sexual predators hiding behind fame is so common that it is no longer surprising. This world that we live in is unpredictable and scary, and that is why we all need to look out for one another, and remain educated on current events. It’s important for students at Plymouth State University to remain educated, and know that they are safe on our campus. There are many resources for information on this topic, and a very effective one is SAVE All.

Paige Schoppmann, President of PSU’s SAVE All, believes that awareness is highly important. SAVE All stands for Sexual Assault and Violence Education alliance, and it is an organization that educates our community about sexual assault. They meet every Wednesday in Hyde 234 from 8-9 p.m. Anyone who wants to talk about these recent cases, or anything relevant to the cause, is encouraged to drop by during that time. Those who wish to speak in private are welcome to email Paige at pmschoppmann1010@plymouth.edu.

Paige shares her feelings of disappointment, “I think it’s cowardly and disgusting, but in some ways, there’s other people who have gone through that in the past and they’re feeling heard. I’m so glad that people are telling their stories, and these men are being held accountable.” Although these cases are horrifying, they do reveal the truth. It’s important that the victims are now speaking out, and can get the justice they deserve.

“Every meeting we begin with a “current event” led by a member of the group”, Paige said, “We have group members find a current event like this, and we discuss it for the first 5-10 minutes of the meeting. We do this in order to educate ourselves on the world around us right now. We need to be able to know what the public is saying and what is happening in order to be the most effective. Activism has to move with the times.” We have to remain updated on current events to understand what is going on, and what needs to be done about it.

Students should know that SAVE All will remain active, and that these news stories are not being overlooked by PSU. As troubling as it is to hear about celebrities being revealed as criminals and sexual predators, it is important to stick together to protect each other, and remain educated. “This is a movement, and we’re far from done fighting it”, Paige said, “So buckle up, because we’re not stopping this for anything. We will fight sexual assault until it’s in the history books and no longer a reality.” SAVE All will keep fighting for the protection of all individuals, and the love for humanity.