Tennessean postpones sex assault prevention training event

The Tennessean has decided to postpone a Wednesday training event because of a risk of icy weather.

The free community event -- meant to educate the public on how they can intervene and prevent crimes of sexual assault -- was scheduled for Wednesday evening. Stay tuned for additional updates on the new date and time for the event.

Here's some background on the event:

See something, say something.

As former football players raped an unconscious woman in a Vanderbilt University dorm, a bystander in the room rolled over in his bed, literally looking the other way. He was too scared, he said, to speak up.

Multiple people saw four men — one carrying the unconscious woman — going to the room. No one called for help.

Each bystander had an opportunity to prevent or stop the rape of the 21-year-old woman that night.

No one spoke up in the Vanderbilt case. To help prevent that from happening again and in other cases, The Tennessean is hosting a free public training focused on how bystanders can prevent crimes.

It will answer questions: How do you speak up in an uncomfortable situation? What is the right action to take? If you see something suspicious, what do you say, and to whom? If you speak up, will everyone know?

The Sexual Assault Center and Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence will lead the bystander training.

The event also will include an overview of sexual assault crimes and investigations in Davidson County and discussion of prevention techniques with speakers from Metro schools, Metro police and the district attorney's office.

For more information, call Tennessean reporter Stacey Barchenger at 615-726-8968 or email her at sbarchenger@tennessean.com.

Speak up to prevent sexual assault

Who: Anyone who would like to learn intervention techniques

What: Training on how to be an active bystander and report — and prevent — possible cases of sexual assault, with presentations from:

•Sharon Travis, Sexual Assault Center

•Kayce Matthews, Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence

•Metro Schools Chief Support Services Officer Tony Majors

•District Attorney Glenn Funk

•Metro Police Capt. Preston Brandimore, Lt. Michael Dudley and Sgt. Mike Shreeve