In January of 1989, the Duke University Women’s Center began as a small cubicle in the Bryan Center. Since then, it has increased in importance and has been moved to its present location in Few Federation. Now, there is an office and staff fully dedicated to promoting gender equity and providing help for victims of sexual assault. As the issue of gender equity has morphed with the times, more programs have been established to advocate these services and prevention efforts of the center.
Since its inception, the Women’s Center has been an important force on campus. However, how important can the Center possibly be to the lives of women- and all students- if many do not seek aid from it? One of the dilemmas surrounding the Women’s Center is that it may seem unapproachable for both graduate and undergraduate students. As a resource, it should be more widely taken advantage of! The women of the Center are working to accomplish this; Amy Cleckler, of the Office on Gender Violence Prevention and Intervention, is trying to educate students on the availability of the Center. She works closely with student groups, classes, and student affairs offices to make the Center to seem more accessible.
Amy Cleckler collaborates with Duke students to create an on-campus environment of comfort for both genders. She strives to form bonds between the Women’s Center and individuals by providing programs that are both useful and informative for women. Her latest work as program coordinator has been to put together a training workshop on bystander intervention. This trains students to be positive and active bystanders to violence on campus.
“All members of the campus community are responsible for preventing campus violence, regardless of race, gender, orientation, affiliation, etc.,” explains Cleckler. She expresses pleasure in the knowledge that dialogue concerning gender-related campus dialogue is becoming more prevalent, and hopes to see that growth continue. If more individuals discuss and engage with the problems of the campus, the campus will change to reflect the goals of these individuals and the student body as a whole. Cleckler agrees that students hold much of the power on campus, and explains that the Women’s Center is a resource through which both men and women may affect their peers, as well as those in hired positions of power.
As a woman, Cleckler recognizes that gender equality is far from being achieved. However, she also realizes that women have made giant strides toward that goal; since her time as an undergraduate at Birmingham-Southern College, many more opportunities for women have appeared. Now, Women’s Studies majors exist at many universities, and groups dedicated to gender equality have cropped up on campuses worldwide.
As Gender Violence Prevention Program Coordinator, Amy Cleckler has great power to voice concerns of the female population on campus. Undoubtedly, in the years to come, the Women’s Center will continue to grow and morph to deal with the issues of incoming classes. However, her programs would be much more effective if they were made more popular; women need to join her on her journey to eradicate gender violence and inequality on campus. She is a force on campus, and a crucial face to the Center as a campus resource. On a more personal level, she is available whenever necessary for aid and instruction. Take advantage of the great resource we have on campus, ladies! Get to know the Women’s Center, and allow the Center to get to know you. Only then can the Center be as effective on campus as it should be, and only then can the Center remedy issues that plague the student population.