Talk's goals: Communication, respect

Mark C. Dawson knew what he was doing when he gave his lecture a provocative name.

Dawson's presentation, called “Hookin' Up and Gett'n Some,” addresses issues, challenges and solutions regarding safe dating, safety, consent, communication, respect and sexual assault awareness.

He will give the presentation at 7 p.m. tonight at the Hixson-Lied Auditorium in the Harper Center on Creighton's campus as part of Stop Intimate Violence Week” at Creighton.

“It's an attention-getter,” he said. “But what they learn very quickly, I hit on ‘getting some' right in the first part of the program, we talk about getting some knowledge. I talk about ‘growing their game,' their communication game and their respect game. And as we go through the program, it really talks a lot about ‘make sure you're getting consent and you're getting empowered.'”

Consent and empowerment go both ways, Dawson said.

“We try to break down some of the stereotypical gender roles,” he said.

His interest in the topic began after a girlfriend confided in him that she had been raped.

“I felt a little bit helpless not knowing what to do. I didn't know anything about this issue,” he said. “And the more I researched and looked into it . . . I realized they talk a lot about statistics and what not to do, but they don't really tell you what to do.”

Dawson said his presentation includes role-playing and provides concrete communication tools for both sexes.

“It's really all about communication,” he said.

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