Violence against women topic of conference

Women In Power, a group from the women's studies program, will sponsor "Real Men Don't Hit Women," a domestic violence conference to be held at the Los Cerritos Residence Halls tonight from 6 to 7.

Clyde Vaughan, assistant coach of CSULB's men's basketball team, will be one of the speakers at the conference. He said the conference is designed to teach both men and women about the effects of domestic violence.

"People need to get educated on the subject," Vaughan said. "There's been a lot of headlines about this because of the O.J. [Simpson] case, but it's always been there."

On Monday, signs that promoted the event near the Psychology Building contained strong language within their slogans such as "Shut Up, Bitch! Nobody Asked You." The signs were removed before the next day.

Doris Spencer, one of coordinating members of the conference, said that the signs were approved to be put up, and that the group does not endorse the language. Spencer said the language was used, to alert students that such sayings is unacceptable communication.

Asked about the slogan to promote the event, students had mixed feelings regarding it.

"I think it's too offensive because of that word," junior Grace Guiterrez, an accounting major, said. "They should change the wording around."

Others felt that it got the point across strongly.

"The sign may be a bit too strong, but it caught my attention," Ricardo Ramirez, a junior pre-business major, said, "[This sign is] to make everyone aware, not just women, but also men. This is for real."

"As far as advertising the event goes, I think it gets its point across," Frank Aviles, a freshman in pre-business, said.