N.C. college radio stations ‘Play it SAFE’ for women’s safety

On Friday, May 30, WKNC 88.1 joins three other North Carolina college radio stations for Play it SAFE, a benefit concert raising money for the Durham Crisis Response Center. Local artists, and advocates of women’s safety, Gross Ghost, See Gulls, and T0W3RS will perform for the event at The Pinhook in Durham. 

WKNC 88.1 FM, WXDU 88.7 FM, WUAG 103.1 FM, and WXYC 89.3 FM are sponsoring the event, with organizational help from The Pinhook that aims to promote a safe community for women in light of recent and controversial cases of sexual assault in the local Triangle area.

Article by Walt Lilly, WKNC program director

On Friday, May 30, WKNC 88.1 joins three other North Carolina college radio stations for Play it SAFE, a benefit concert raising money for the Durham Crisis Response Center. Local artists, and advocates of women’s safety, Gross Ghost, See Gulls, and T0W3RS will perform for the event at The Pinhook in Durham. 

WKNC 88.1 FM, WXDU 88.7 FM, WUAG 103.1 FM, and WXYC 89.3 FM are sponsoring the event, with organizational help from The Pinhook that aims to promote a safe community for women in light of recent and controversial cases of sexual assault in the local Triangle area. “We are proud to sponsor this event, because this is a really progressive community that wants to enact positive change,” Bri Aab, Pinhook employee and WKNC’s 2013-2014 general manager, said. “There has been a darker side to this community, and we want to illuminate it in order to help those involved. It often happens that in music related assault cases, much of the blame is transferred to alcohol, drugs, or the physical nature of the situation at concerts. We hope to undo this mentality.”

The hope by doing this is to make a policy that women in this community can feel safe. By attending this event, the audience member is advocating gender equality and allegiance against assault, sexual assault, and victim blaming. The hope is to illuminate the many ways abuse can manifest in the music community without taking away from the message by pointing fingers and assuming a verdict of guilt before official charges are pressed. Assault against women can become a complex issue in a community, but our hope is to establish a black and white stance against all assault and abuse leading behavior.

The Durham Crisis Response Center is the only agency in Durham dedicated to providing advocacy, shelter and support services to victims of domestic and sexual violence. All proceeds will benefit the center.

Tickets are available at the door. Suggested cover is a donation of $5 to $20, and proceeds benefit the Durham Crisis Response Center. The event is 18+. Doors will open at 8 p.m. with music at 9 p.m.