October was Domestic and Sexual Violence awareness month. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, three women in the U.S. die every day at the hands of an intimate partner.

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, in UC 127, Mahri Irvine, director of campus initiatives, gave a presentation on Language and Sexual Violence: How Our Choices Affect Culture. Irvine discussed how the way we view people really has a big effect on society, not only the way women are viewed but men as well.

“What do we call men or young boys when we want to embarrass them?” Irvine said.

The audience shouted many insults and Irvine said they were all correct. Some of the insults were you play like a woman or come on ladies.

“Is it really an insult to be a woman?” Irvine said.

Irvine said double standards were used a lot and asked the audience what some names were for women who enjoyed sex were. Slut, whore, hooker and prostitute were amongst a few of the names. She then asked the audience to give examples of what some names for men were. Stud, player, man-whore and ladykiller were amongst those.

The topic of femicide was brought up when ladykiller was mentioned. Femicide is the intentional murder of women, and though it’s more prominent in other countries, it is known as female homicide in the United States.

Annell Lough, prevention coordinator for The Center of Women and Families, said as a prevention coordinator she plays a role in helping to intervene and prevent violence by standing up against it.

Irvine also said the media down plays sexual assault and provides information that is not needed. She said an example of this would be the victim and attackers previous dating history, or in the case of Brock Turner, who cares what his swimming time was.

“This is a topic that needs to be addressed,” Michaela Beasley, nursing junior, said.