Despite windy conditions, music lovers and golf patrons alike came together to enjoy a benefit concert featuring a few of music’s biggest stars on April 6.

The concert featured Darius Rucker, former lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, who is a regular at the concert and was performing as a solo artist for the first time at the event. Another band, Sister Hazel, joined Rucker and singer Edwin Mc- Cain, who is known for hits such as, “I’ll Be” and “Could Not Ask For More,” for the seventh annual, Rock Fore Dough.

Rucker said the event is a good way to give back to the community while playing a good show.

“All the bands want to have a party, we all have known each other a long time, and we like coming together for a good cause, and the crowd really seems to enjoy it,” Rucker said.

Sister Hazel, who are known for such hits as “All For You” and “Happy” were at the very first Rock Fore Dough concert in 2005, with Hootie and the Blowfish. According to Ken Block, lead singer for Sister Hazel, the concert is great event to support a good program.

“The whole mission of First Tee of Augusta, the way they work with kids, instilling so many core values is great,” he said. “The fact that this concert is built around Masters Week is a phenomenal energy.”

Ryan Newell, bass player of Sister Hazel, said it was good to be back this year for the concert.

“Good to see old friends like Darius (Rucker), and reconnect with them for a good cause,” Newell said.

Drew Copeland, of Sister Hazel, said he and his band members like to play golf, but he said one of them is not so good.

“Me and Ken (Block) embarrass our bass player (Ryan Newell) because we play the most out of everybody in the band, but we all enjoy coming to events like this,” he said. “The game itself is filled with integrity, so we are very pleased to be a part of this.

In its 10th year in Augusta, First Tee was designed for children in order to teach them life skills through the game of golf, according to Alphonso Ashford, program director for the First Tee of Augusta.

The First Tee teaches values such as integrity, honesty and self discipline, just to name a few. The First Tee also teaches students through its acronym, STAR, which means to Stop, Think, Act and to Respond.

“First Tee allows students to be more courteous people, be more respectful, while enjoying the game of golf,” Ashford said. “The classes are set up where the kids get 90 percent golf and 10 percent life skills.”

First Tee is a program that is known around the country, and was not started by Tiger Woods’ father, Earl, beyond popular belief. According to Asbury, Woods’ father attended the opening of the very first First Tee. The First Tee was founded by the commissioner of the Pro Golf Association as well as members of the United States Golf Association.

Kianna Franklin, a student of First Tee, said she has enjoyed participating. She said she has been a participant for one year and really likes playing golf.

“I like how we can come here whenever we want and golf as long as we want,” she said. “I have learned to play golf, and I love it.”

Before the start of the concert, students of the First Tee of Augusta got to meet the members of Sister Hazel, and Rucker. Students got autographs from them and had their pictures taken with the artists. For Franklin, it was a big thrill to meet Sister Hazel and especially Rucker.

“I am a big country fan, and meeting him was very special,” she said.

Ashford said he has seen kids being in elementary school to graduating from college in the six years he has been a part of the program. He also said Rock Fore Dough is a great opportunity for kids to meet bands and vice versa.

“Rock Fore Dough is our major fundraiser for the year,” Ashford said. “I am glad we have this kind of sup-

For three years, the Augusta Museum of History housed an exhibit, Stories and Legends, that celebrated the Masters Tournament’s legacy. This year, the museum made a decision to remove the exhibit and replace it with the Sport of Golf, which celebrates not only the Masters Tournament, but the entire tradition of golf.

According to Nancy Glaser, executive director for six years at the Augusta Museum of History, representation of golf history in Augusta is crucial.

“We had a Masters exhibit for a number of years here,” Glaser said. “We made a choice to take that down and do an exhibit that was more inclusive. What we talk about is golf history. It’s a really rich tradition in this area.”

The Sport of Golf exhibit is split into two separate sections. The first area includes the beginnings of the golf tradition in Roman culture and the evolution of golf technology. Supporters such as GolfCar, E-Z Go, Puma and Ping contributed items to this area of the museum.

The second section displays the golf courses in the area, the five players that left the greatest impact on the game of golf, and golf novelty items contributed by various collectors. The Augusta National Golf Course loaned Bobby Jones’ green jacket to the museum, and famous golfers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus loaned the museum a few of their personal items.

The new exhibit not only features the Masters, golf technology and the history of the golf courses in the area, it also includes a tribute to the Augusta State University golf team.

“The big golf tournament last year, the NCAA, I believe it’s the only sport that Augusta State participates in on the level of Duke, Stanford, Oklahoma, Florida State and Florida. Augusta State won it,” Glaser said. “I think that’s amazing.”

The event of the Augusta State University golf team being represented in the Au-

Gonorrhea, syphilis, AIDS: subjects not typically brought up in everyday conversations. However, there is one week that brings awareness to this topic.

Sexually transmitted diseases are not a favorite topic of anyone’s, especially in the doctor’s office where some have to face a hard truth. However, Annie LaForce, assistant director for programs, organized a week specifically dedicated to providing information to students about STDs and was able to do something different this year than in the previous four years she has done this event.

“This is the first time we’ve had the health department come out which I think is a great thing because they have more resources and more money to devote toward (STD Awareness Week) than we do,” LaForce said. “We don’t really have a budget so a lot of ours is just brochures, but they have more time and more energy, and they’re a little more dedicated to it than we are.”

The Richmond County Health Department came out on Monday, April 11, with various brochures about different STDs and other items to display for STD Awareness Week, including pins, stickers, and even cookies. Shawn Walker, a community disease specialist for the Health Department, among others, came out to encourage students to get the information and use it.

“With HIV, I know that it does impact a lot of people in so many different areas,” Walker said. “Whether they are infected, they know someone who is infected or if someone doesn’t know, I’m trying to get them this information and get them tested, so they’ll know what their status is.”

According to LaForce, the students received better information about STDs from the Health Department than Jaguar Student Activities would have been able to provide. However, during the week, there were booths set up in Allgood Hall and University Hall as well as the Jaguar Student Activities Center handing out information to students passing by.

“First we want to make sure they know (STDs) are not a taboo subject, it’s something they need to learn about and something they need to become aware of,” LaForce said. “I especially want people to, if they don’t want the information or need it, then to give it to their friends they may think need it or to help them learn a little bit more about it, in case there are some of those students who don’t know much about it.”

Some of the worst STDs out there, according to Beverly Collins, assistant professor of nursing, are herpes and AIDS, because they are viruses that cannot be cured at this point in time. Collins also said it is the worst thing to not inform a partner about a sexual disease for whatever reason.

“It’s now the viruses that are much harder to treat,” Collins said. “Herpes (is) painful, lifelong, nasty, if your partner doesn’t tell you and with that comes AIDS.”

In the past, STDs were something that could be treated with antibiotics, Collins said. There used to be systemic problems that would cause infertility, arthritis and other complications. However, when the medical community realized they could do cultures and treat these problems, then the viruses, like AIDS and herpes, started to grow exponentially.

It’s not only the young generation facing the STD problem, but also the older generation, such as widows and other older people who start to date again. Because most have only had one partner and were born in a time where inhibitions did not allow talk of these topics, some are unaware and contract one, Collins said.

“We have new people facing this issue with very little experience to know how to face and deal, and if we don’t have those who have been through it saying ‘Hey let’s teach,’” Collins said. “In fact, we have other people saying don’t teach, I’ll take care of it myself, my way and ignorance is not bliss.”

South Carolina locals have planned yet another entertainment-filled festival in celebration of Earth Day.

The event will have a fish fry, a puppeteer, games, fellowship, dancers, horses, face painting and more, all in light of the Earth.

Willa J. Lanham, coordinator of Bettis Academy Heritage Preservation Team, or BAHPT, expressed excitement in the event which she said has been going on since 1997. The event is usually the third weekend in April in order to be as close to Earth Day, which is April 22, as possible.

Lanham, who is a biology teacher, heard about the event through letters in the mail from the National Park Conservation Association.

“I took a chance on the team’s cooperation and filled out the letter to participate and then got information each year to register,” Lanham said.

According to Lanham, the original name for the park was “March for Parks” and was a national organization sponsored by the National Park Conservation Association.

“Our purpose is to bring attention to American parks and historical sites,” Lanham said. “Bring awareness that parks need to be preserved and maintained.”

Lanham said the team decided to go into the event as a fundraiser and function without attachment to the national organization but instead part of the South Carolina Heritage corridor. The group started targeting certain buildings to renovate and help fix.

The building they chose was Bettis Academy and Junior College. Money from fundraising during past year’s events as well as grants went toward the building’s complete renovation. Biddle Hall was totally restored and turned into a museum which, according to Lanham, is rated one of the best historic sites in the state.

“Bettis has contributed so much to the community and it is important to preserve be-

The Mad Potters Organization (MPO) fired up the kilns this past month to complete many of the functional ceramic pieces they hope to sell during their traditional end of the semester sale.

The sale will be April 20, 21 and 22, with many of the student artists featuring their best work in hopes of raising money for the MPO and themselves.

According to Raoul Pacheco, ceramics instructor and advisor for MPO, the organization has been having pottery sales since the late 1990s and will even be in conjunction with the printmaking classes this year. The sales have only gotten bigger with time; now well known throughout campus and the community.

“It’s exciting for me as a professor because it’s quality work,” Pacheco said.

The sales have functional-pottery, which the majority of patrons look for; including plates, cups and bowls.

Kayla Garland, biology major, will be selling some of her work, which she said was made with pleasing herself and others in mind. According to Garland, it is important to have the sale because 10 percent of the profit will go to the MPO, which will provide the club with new equipment.

“I want people to know that we all work really hard and take pride in our work,” Garland said.

Pacheco said the pottery was made in different ways including using slab or the wheel. Raku firing was one of the many methods used to produce the creations. This method of firing is Japanese and fires a piece immediately. Another method included the low fire kiln which is typically a four day process.

According to Pacheco, the majority of the pottery being sold will be functional because people want what they can use. Like Garland, Pacheco agreed that what is being sold has both visual and utilitarian appeal.

“I am excited when a student feels they have created quality work and makes a sale,” Pacheco said. “It is most exciting when a person finds that your piece is worth spending their money on.”

Pacheco also said he finds the pottery pieces to be a form of three-way communication from the maker, through the vessel, to the person using the piece.

Steven McCulloch Jr., president of the MPO, explained that the club is open to everyone. Meetings are held once or twice a month and are run by students.

“We are here to provide opportunities for people to get into the ceramic world,” Mc- Culloch said.

McCulloch said the organization’s main function is to provide question and answer time for issues concerning an artist’s work, giving a chance to receive input or advice for a piece. The club also discusses current happenings in the ceramic world and work on pieces.

According to McCulloch, the organization could help broaden the idea of craft in the art world through showing off the technology aspect of ceramics, and be a great portal for selfexpression. McCulloch creates sculptures with a post-apocalyptic inspiration.

“We’re open and wanting people who express interest,” McCulloch said. “We love new people and would love to teach.”

Sales provide the MPO with funding for internationally known artists to speak or conduct demonstrations and allow for exploration of new glazes or new items for the lab and trips to listen to other artists.

“This is a great way to make an impact on the community,” Pacheco said. “It’s good to get involved and get work out there. It’s all about the students putting their work out there.”

To a large crowd of eager Augusta music fans, the Harlem String Quartet delivered a mesmerizing performance that showcased their dedication and command of string instruments.

On April 15 at 7:30 p.m., inside a dimly lit Maxwell Theatre, a large and diverse crowd attended the Harlem String Quartet’s first Augusta concert. Brought to campus by the Harry Jacobs Chamber of Music Society, the classical and contemporary ensemble performed a wide variety of songs.

Founded in 2006, the Harlem String Quartet made its debut at both the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, N.Y. and Carnegie Hall in New York City. Comprised of two brilliant violinists, one accomplished violist and a talented cellist, the ensemble’s credits include performing twice at the White House for guests of President Obama and the first lady and on NBC’s “Today Show” on Christmas morning.

The haunting melodies and rhythm of the “Quartet No. 7 in F-sharp” by Dmitri Shostakovich immediately amazed the audience as the group’s first number. The string players sounded more like a 10-piece ensemble as they sat in a close-knit circle. As the players four instruments filled the entire theater, the heavy cello was compelling underneath the dreamy, yet forceful sounds of the violins and viola.

White, who is a recent graduate of Curtis Institute of Music, studied under the direction of Ida Kavafian. White’s fellow violinist, Ilmar Gavilan is a native of Havana and has studied and taught at some of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the world. Juan-Miguel Hernandez is a native of Canada and is the viola player for the ensemble; his career included numerous national awards and stellar performances. Paul Wiancko, the newest member of the quartet, is the cellist and has performed for many composers including Yo-Yo Ma, a world-famous cellist.

The show included sets by Ludwig van Beethoven, Alexander Borodin and Chick Corea.

Midway through the concert, the audience appeared to be captured by the passion the musicians exhibited as they made each bow stroke. At moments of crescendo, the musicians swayed back and forth in their seats.

“I feel like you can’t forget your passion,” White said. “Take time to break the rules. You will find that the world is so much bigger.”

After a standing ovation, the group came back on stage to deliver a gorgeous string performance of Duke Ellington’s “Take the ‘A’ Train;” this, too, received a standing ovation from the audience.

The gifted musicians clearly took pleasure in bringing their great talent to the Augusta stage.

“We’ve loved Augusta,” White said on stage after offering a humorous story to the audience.

Backstage the ensemble greeted fans and spoke one-on-one with student musicians. Juan-Miguel Hernandez said to those who want to make music for a living, it is being perceptive.

“The important part of performing is understanding the music,” Hernandez said. “It has a deeper meaning, so you have to get acquainted with the music; there is always more to discover.”

The Harlem String Quartet will continue touring the United States throughout the summer and bringing what some critics call “a new attitude to classical music, one that is fresh, bracing, and intelligent.”

With more experience this year, the baseball team has seen a dramatic improvement, and a lot of that has to do with pitching.

Through the course of the season, the Jaguars have seen dominant performances from such pitchers as Joah Evans, who pitched a gem against Armstrong Atlantic State University and Carson Newman, where he tossed a one-hitter in both of those appearances. Other notable pitchers this year includes Wilson Taylor, who leads the team in saves and is among the top players in the Peach Belt Conference in saves and innings pitched, along with leading in wins. Scott Shipman leads the team in ERA with a 1.86.

According to head coach Chris Cooper, he has seen a dramatic improvement from last year from his pitchers. He said the pitchers have been more consistent and have not walked as much. “We wanted to get some better pitching in here,” Cooper said. “All the freshmen we had last year got in some time, even though we did not play very well, they got in some very valuable time in and now they are showing (progress).”

Pitching coach Augie Rodriguez echoed Cooper’s sentiments about the improved pitching performance of his 22 pitchers. Rodriguez said he attributes that success to his senior leaders of Evans and Stephen Ramsey.

“(Ramsey and Evans) do a good job of keeping the younger guys motivated and working hard everyday,” he said. “I think the pitching has improved in a lot of ways.”

Cooper said the bats have helped as well. This year, the NCAA implemented new bats, which are no longer composite. However, the key to good pitching is not to give stuff away, according to Cooper.

“If you look at our games, Shipman does well when he is not walking many guys,” Cooper said. “You cannot defend a walk, so that is what we have been working on.”

Shipman said all 22 pitchers have done a fantastic job by working hard. He said he has learned to calm down, which has helped improve his pitching.

“Last year, I was a freshman and amped up every time I would go out there,” he said. “This year, I learned to settle down, which keeps me even-keeled the entire game.”

Rodriguez said the pitchers have not given up a lot of home runs, which they gave 45 last year and only 15 this year, and are doing well keeping the runners on base. Pitchers on this year’s staff are getting more groundouts than fly balls. Another thing the pitchers learned was not just to throw, but how to pitch. This was especially true with the six or seven freshmen from last year’s squad, according to Rodriguez.

“When you are in high school, the main focus is blowing the fastball by them,” he said. “So, you understand that you need to throw a curveball for a strike, a change-up in a certain location; this year the guys are learning how to pitch this year.”

Taylor, the team’s closer, said he has made improvements in his pitching.

“I actually learned to pitch instead of just throwing it,” Taylor said. “I am actually hitting my spots. I know how to change speeds, and I am improving.”

Taylor said he would like to get more opportunities to get more innings in as well as starting a few more games.

“I like closing, but you never know when you are going to pitch,” he said. “In order for me to pitch, we have to be winning.” Cooper said he hopes the guys continue to grow and said he thinks there will be special things happening in the near future. He also said the pitching staff is the cornerstone to the team’s success.

“I am really excited, because I think Scott Shipman has the opportunity to be an AllConference guy,” he said. “I think other players also have that same opportunity. I also believe we will have one of the best pitching staffs in the league next year.”

The Jaguars baseball team’s postseason prospects took a dent as it dropped two out of three games to conference-rival USC-Aiken.

In the first game of a Saturday doubleheader, the Jaguars topped the Pacers 8-2. First baseman Tristan Toorie and right fielder Matt Smith each drove home a pair of runs in support of sophomore pitcher Scott Shipman. Shipman continued his run of success throughout Peach Belt Conference play by yielding only one unearned run over seven innings of work, lowering his ERA for the season to 1.80. Head coach Chris Cooper said that Shipman’s performance was par for the course.

“This is what (Shipman) has been doing every start,” Cooper said. “He went a little shorter today; he has been going eight or nine innings. But he only gave up one run and he threw strikes, so it was a great job.”

The Pacers denied the Jaguars a doubleheader sweep by taking the second game of the twinbill 8-4. Senior southpaw Joah Evans was unable to make it through five innings for the Jaguars, surrendering eight hits and five runs – three earned – in 4.2 innings of work. There were not many highlights for the Jaguars offensively, but Toorie was able to carry over his hot hitting from the game earlier in the day, going 3-4 with an RBI.

The series wrap-up on Sunday, April 10 was Senior Day for the Jaguars and marked Augusta State’s final home contest of the season. Unfortunately for the Jaguar seniors, they were not able to go out on a winning note. USCAiken lefthander Derek Beasley pitched seven scoreless innings before turning the game over to Jason Cochcroft, who recorded the final six outs to preserve a 4-0 win for the Pacers.

A notable bright spot for the Jaguars in the series-ending defeat was junior pitcher Wilson Taylor. The converted reliever fired six solid innings of work, allowing just two runs on five hits and striking out four in only his second start of the season.

Following the series loss to the Pacers, the Jaguars’ record within the conference stood at 9-12. The Jaguars remain in a tight race with North Georgia College & State for fourth place in the Peach Belt West. Montevallo also still retains hopes of claiming the West’s No. 4 seed. The top four teams in both of the Peach Belt divisions earn a spot in the conference tournament in May in Columbus, Ga.

Cooper said that he is stressing to his team the importance of staying loose in the heat of a tight race.

“I keep telling our guys that we were picked last in the Peach Belt before the season started,” Cooper said. “I expect more out of us than that, and we expect more as a team, but you can use a little bit of reverse psychology and say ‘No one expects much from us,’ and that helps you stay relaxed.”

With three games against the Saints of North Georgia looming on April 15-16, the Jaguars are still in control of their own destiny with regards to earning a spot in the Peach Belt Tournament. For that reason, the Jaguars have no reason to look over their shoulders at their conference competitors, according to Cooper.

“We focus on ourselves,” Cooper said. “Everything is in our hands right now. We put ourselves in a good position with some of the things we did earlier in the season. If we win our games, we’ll be in the tournament. If we play bad, then we’ll have to do some scoreboard watching. But right now it’s all on us.”

A late charge by Oklahoma State’s Kevin Tway resulted in a one-shot victory for the Cowboys in the 2011 Insperity Augusta State Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

Down by one as a team with two holes remaining, Tway stepped up to the plate with back-to-back birdies of 17 and 18 to defeat the University of Tennessee by one stroke.

Oklahoma State jumped to an -11 score and two-shot lead after the first round, due in large part to Tway’s opening-round 64. The Cowboys continued the charge with a second-round 279, leading Tennessee by 10 with one round remaining.

Tennessee opened a charge in the final round, recording a 283 behind Garrick Porteous’ 69. Oklahoma State scored a 292, resulting in a tight finish. The Volunteers led by one shot with two holes to go, but Tway’s final two birdies put them ahead at the end.

Oklahoma State’s final score was -16, with Tennessee coming in at -15. Clemson, which was in second place after the first round, finished third at -5.

Tway placed first individually at -12 overall, going 64, 69, 71 over the three rounds. It was the senior’s fourth career individual title.

Augusta State finished sixth with a final score of +7. After recording a 291 in the first two rounds, the Jaguars posted a 289 in the third round, finishing 23 strokes behind Oklahoma State and five strokes behind fifth-place UCLA.

Olle Bengtsson led the Jaguars at -7, finishing runner-up in the individual race. After an opening-round 75, Bengtsson recorded consecutive rounds of 67 to vault himself into second place.

“It’s remarkable,” head coach Josh Gregory said. “To come out and shoot 67, 67 is pretty darn impressive. It couldn’t happen to a better kid. He’s pretty much been the sixth guy the past four years. If you asked any of the guys who they would want to see succeed he would probably be the answer. He’s such a great teammate and such a great person.”

Mitchell Krywulycz posted the secondlowest score for the Jaguars at -1 with two rounds of 71, finishing 10th overall. Henrik Norlander finished 12th overall at even-par, posting three consecutive rounds of 72.

“The first round was good, but I made some stupid mistakes (Sunday),” Norlander said. “The second and third rounds were a grind, but somehow I shot even. It was bad.”

Following those three, the next best finish for Augusta State was 36th by Brendan Gillins, recording a +5 score. He rebounded from a 79 with rounds of 70 and 72 in the final two rounds.

The field at the Augusta State Invitational was the strongest in its history, according to Gregory. The champions, Oklahoma State, came into the tournament ranked No. 1 in the nation. UCLA, which finished fifth, was ranked No. 2. Third-ranked Alabama finished fourth. Illinois, ranked No. 11, finished seventh.

It was an incredible field,” Gregory said. “I wish we could have played a little better, but to get this type of field in Augusta is pretty special.”

Eight ranked teams finished in the top eight, and four of those were ranked in the top 10. Nine of the 17 teams competing were ranked nationally in Division I.

The teal display board stands in the main entrance of University Hall.

It is covered in post cards and pictures that demonstrate that rape and sexual assault are not taken lightly in the community. The post cards offer messages of understanding for victims and a voice of defiance against such a violent act as rape and are part of Take Back the Night, a night where the community comes together to take a stand against sexual violence.

“We have done (the display board) for four or five years,” said Shannon Nix, counselor and housing liaison for Augusta State. “Now we have two display boards; (the other) one is at Paine College in the student center.”

Take Back the Night features events on both Paine College and Augusta State’s campuses, and the events involve students, faculty, staff and the local community. The TBTN events began on April 1 at Paine College. The Take Back the Day Walk was held on April 16 at Augusta State, which was a walk to prevent sexual violence. During the week of April 17-22, there are several events planned on the Augusta State campus with The Clothesline Project and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes on April 18.

“The shoe display, when you look at it, each pair of shoes represents a survivor of sexual abuse or sexual assault,” Nix said. “You have the little ones, men’s, women’s, all ages, sizes and types. You will see a toddler’s shoes; you will see size 13 men’s shoes; any of these people are survivors of sexual assault.”

On Wednesday, April 20 at 11 a.m., the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes ‘race’ will be held featuring men of Augusta State walking down the sidewalk between the sports field and the amphitheater wearing red pumps. Nix said that there will be close to 30 men participating in the event.

Thursday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. is the 15th annual TBTN rally. Held on the lawn of the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre, the event will have several speakers, including Ashley Wright from the Richmond County District Attorney’s office and survivors of sexual assault.

“The point of Take Back the Night is to raise awareness of sexual assault, not only in this community, but abroad,” said Julie Hudson, graduate student and TBTN committee member.

Hudson said she worked on raising money and donations for the Take Back the Day walk, including getting a shuttle to take people back to campus after the walk Saturday morning, T-shirts for the walkers. Starbucks also donated coffee and breakfast for the volunteers at the walk.

F

Marie Drews, assistant professor of English and women’s studies and Women’s Studies Program Committee member, said she offered her support by helping with fundraising and serving as a conduit between the Women’s Studies Student Association and the Women’s Studies Program Committee. Drews said TBTN campaign is an important piece of the silence about women’s sexuality and violence.

“There is a lot of undue pressure on victims,” Drews said. “Really what TBTN organization suggests is that if we decrease the silence then there becomes the possibility for not only cultivating awareness and advocating for victims and making sure that people are aware of victims and the daily struggles they face as well as victim’s families. That becomes the first step we can take towards fighting violence and preventing violence.”