World Wrestling Entertainment hall of famer Mick Foley will speak at AU next month, but he won’t be here to talk body slams. Instead, Foley will speak about sexual assault.
The event, on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the McKinley Building, will feature a speech by Foley and a question and answer session with attendees. Foley has been a volunteer for the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network, known as RAINN, since at least 2010, according to a University press release. The offices of Campus Life, Advocacy Services for Interpersonal and Sexual Violence, Public Safety, Risk Management, and Finance and Treasurer are co-hosting the event.
The event will be free and open to anyone with an AU ID.
“I’d always known sexual assault, rape was a serious problem, but I didn’t think as a guy it was something I could participate in, that I could help out in,” Foley told Jon Stewart in 2010. He continued that Tori Amos, another RAINN activist, passed him along the group’s website. “I did the reading, and I was like I think I could make a difference here.”
Foley, 50, is a semi-retired professional wrestler and his career spans over 30 years in the ring. He has spoken at college campuses throughout the U.S., including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Syracuse University and the University of Notre Dame, the press release notes.
Foley has also written ten books, the most recent being his memoir, “Countdown to Lockdown.” He has donated a part of the book’s sales revenue to RAINN.
“Mick’s unique experience and perspective will help us to further raise awareness and a sense of urgency within the AU community to continue to address this issue,” Vice President for Campus Life Gail Hanson said in the press release.
