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Mayor Milner Proclaims April 20, 2012 as a Day of Awareness for the City of Delaware, OH
Delaware is joining the national effort to raise awareness about discrimination and harassment experienced by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Intersex (LGBTQI) students and show our support of those who’ve experienced it.
Delaware, OH – In addition to declaring April as both Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Mayor Gary Milner is proclaiming April 20, 2012 as a Day of Awareness for the City of Delaware, OH.
The Day of Awareness is the day for community members to show their support for LGBTQI youth. Community members can show their support by learning more about the Day of Silence and this topic, speaking out about this problem, and participating in our community event on April 21, 2012.
The National Day of Silence is a special event that is a student-led effort where those who support making anti-LGBTQI, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or questioning, intersex bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment experienced by LGBTQI students. Middle school to college students will pledge a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBTQI behavior by illustrating the silencing effect of bullying and harassment can have on LGBTQI students and those perceived to be LGBTQI.
HelpLine’s Safe Youth Initiative (SYI) is a new project, formed to support The Day of Silence activities in Delaware County and to provide community awareness about the harmful effects of bullying on those who are or are perceived to be LGBTQI. Recent research supports the idea that by making schools and our communities a safer place for LGBTQI youth creates a safer environment for all students. That is by focusing on decreasing incidents of bullying with this population, reports of bullying amongst all students decreases. It is an important way that adults/community members can support the message that bullying is a serious problem and we will not stand by but stand up for the youth in our lives.
For more information on The National Day of Silence and to learn more about how you and your school can participate please visit www.dayofsilence.org.
On Saturday, April 21, 2012 HelpLine will host a follow-up event to “break the silence” and allow the community to take the opportunity to speak out in support of LGBTQI youth and celebrate our efforts to transform our communities, visit www.helplinedelmor.org for additional details.
Thank you Mayor Milner for leading the way on raising awareness for issues concerning abuse and violence. All of us at HelpLine firmly believe that by working together we are that much closer to ending violence and abuse within our communities.
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