Group to paint fingernails red for awareness of violence against women

Eta Sigma Gamma will paint finger nails red today at the Scramble Light as part of Operation Jungle Red. Operation Jungle Red promotes the prevention of violence against women. DN FILE PHOTO COREY OHLENKAMP
Eta Sigma Gamma will paint finger nails red today at the Scramble Light as part of Operation Jungle Red. Operation Jungle Red promotes the prevention of violence against women. DN FILE PHOTO COREY OHLENKAMP

Operation Jungle Red: Are You Man Enough?

People who pledge against domestic violence can get a nail painted red

11 a.m.-5 p.m. today and Wednesday at the Scramble Light

To promote the prevention of violence against women, Eta Sigma Gamma will paint fingernails red, starting today at the Scramble Light.

Eta Sigma Gamma will host Operation Jungle Red: Are You Man Enough?, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. today and Wednesday. Men who pledge to prevent domestic violence will have their nails painted. Women can pledge as well, though men are the targeted audience.

“If we can get the word out there, we can have a better chance of preventing it and stopping it,” said Olivia Cosgray, an Eta Sigma Gamma member who helps run Operation Jungle Red. “I don’t think a lot of people in our age group really think this is a problem.”

Cosgray said when people think of violence, they think of fights between people, not fights in a relationship or fights against women.

Allison Anton, an Eta Sigma Gamma member who also helps run Operation Jungle Red, said it is important to have men recognize they can help stop it.

“We’re trying to get men to kind of move forward and take control,” Anton said. “They have the power to resist [the violence] and also maybe see something in another relationship and help them stop violence.”

She said violence can happen in the early stages of a relationship.

“We wanted to make sure that people know this isn’t just something that happens in a marriage, it can happen early on,” Anton said.

Operation Jungle Red started in 2012. In its first two years combined, 4,000 men got their fingernails painted red, said Jagdish Khubchandani, assistant professor of community health education and faculty adviser.

He said the event is symbolic — if people continue to raise awareness, after some time others become more aware of the issue, which could lead to less violence against women.

Cosgray said the men don’t protest getting their nails painted.

“Usually, guys are pretty receptive — we even have guys who are like, ‘Yeah go ahead, paint both my hands,’” Cosgray said. “I’ve had one guy say to paint his toenails so he can match.”

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