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CHENEY, Wash. - Eastern Washington University has received a nearly $10,000 grant to fund preventive education on dating abuse and violence. The grant comes from the beauty and fashion boutique mark., as part of its m.powerment by mark. Healthy Relationship Peer Educator Program. The program is managed by the Avon Foundation for Women through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence initiative.

The grant will fund the Don't Cancel Your Class program at Eastern to promote healthy dating relationships among college-age women and men. This is the first year EWU has received funding from the m.powerment program.

"We are proud that the Avon Foundation for Women and m.powerment by mark. share our mission and have chosen to support our program," said Karen Wanjico, the Violence Prevention Victim Advocate for EWU. "With these funds we will be able to provide peer- led educational sessions in the classroom and outside the classroom, as well as provide new educational materials."

The grant is one of 23 m.powerment by mark. grants totaling nearly $220,000 awarded to colleges nationwide to fund a network of dating peer educators on college campuses. The peer educators will provide preventive education on dating abuse and violence, sexual assault, harassment, stalking and the promotion of healthy relationships, as well as offer local resources and provide referrals for community-based domestic violence experts. The grant also supports educator training, materials and support sessions about healthy relationships.

Women ages 16-24 experience the highest rates of partner violence and dating abuse, which affects millions of people and often results in physical and emotional injuries and even death. According to the National Dating Abuse Helpline, one in three girls who have been in a serious relationship say they have been concerned about being physically hurt by their partner. While strides have been made in the fight against this abuse, many victims will not get the support they need.

For More Information

For more information on Don't Cancel Your Class at Eastern Washington University, please contact Karen Wanjico at 509.359.6429 or advocate@ewu.edu.

For more information about relationship abuse, please visit www.breakthecycle.org. To receive immediate help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or the National Dating Abuse Helpline 1.866.331.9474

To learn more about the Avon Foundation for Women, call 1.866.505.AVON or visit www.avonfoundation.org, where you can access information about Speak Out Against Domestic Violence and download a free Domestic Violence and Dating Abuse Resource Guide in English and Spanish. The media contact for the Avon Foundation for Women is Karyn Margolis, and can be reached at 212.282.5666 Karyn.margolis@avonfoundation.org
For more information on m.powerment by mark., visit www.meetmark.com/mpowerment.