Tuesday, October 6, 2009

UK "Sex Week" sponsor promotes violence against women, group calls on UK to disassociate itself

LEXINGTON, KY—The sponsor of University of Kentucky's "Sex Week" sells "Bondage Fantasy" sets and handcuffs on its website, a fact that has prompted a state family advocacy group to ask how this works into one of the week's themes: protesting violence against women.

"We wonder how organizers of an event that's supposed to discourage violence against women justify promoting a group that considers handcuffs and whips 'bedroom accessories,'" said Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst with The Family Foundation. "What's next from UK, demonstrations against racism sponsored by organizations that sell white hoods?"

"For just $29.95, you can get everything you need from the sponsor of UK's 'Sex Week' to pretend you are beating up and humiliating women. If there's something about this that discourages violence against women, we'd like to know what it is. UK needs to disassociate itself from this as quickly as possible."

Among the many events at UK's "Sex Week"—which includes bellydancing lessons, "poetry slams" and “Tupperware” parties for sex toys—is a march down Lexington's Main Street that calls on male students at UK to wear women's high heel shoes as a way of protesting violence against women. "Maybe they should also wear the wrist and ankle restraints sold by the sponsor of their event," said Cothran. "That'll show 'em."

The primary sponsor of "Sex Week" is Pure Romance, Inc., which sells the "Beginner's Bondage Fantasy Set" ($29.95), as well as a whip for $14.00, handcuffs for $15.00, and the "Vanilla Bondage Set" for $12.00, which features ties that have "a loop at each end so they can easily be threaded on or off arms or legs, and are long enough to reach the leg posts of your bed."

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