The Ames/ISU YWCA is challenging everyone to live without violence for one week this fall.

The YWCA Week Without Violence is being recognized throughout the country Oct. 15-21, said Meg Morris, sexual assault awareness coordinator for the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center. This is the first year for the campaign.

“We want to raise awareness, educate and get people involved,” Morris said. “People need to stand up to racism, sexism and violence, instead of just turning the other way. It is time for people to stop being apathetic.”

The campaign will focus on a variety of topics.

“We tried to come up with topics that have not been covered to a great extent,” Morris said. Some topics include violence in horror films, rap music and athletics.

The Sloss Women’s Center and the YWCA officials are hoping there will be a good turnout because of the “fresh topics,” Morris said.

Julie Wooden, a YWCA employee, said the topics are directed toward everyone.

“Violence occurs many times to many people,” Wooden said. “We need to get people to realize that there are lots of kinds of violence and that it happens more than we hear about.”

Wooden said several groups will be involved in the campaign. A Friday panel discussion includes participants from the Department of Public Safety, the Iowa State Athletic Department, residence halls, the Office of the President, the Panhellenic Council and others.

Wooden said she hopes “we can make people realize violence is not just a small issue.”