‘Puttin’ around Downtown’ raising money for sexual assault prevention

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - Hundreds of people headed to downtown Iowa City on Saturday to play mini-golf while also helping struggling local restaurants.

“I think I’m winning on our team,” Kelsie Cavey, of Cedar Rapids, said. “I may have changed some of the numbers on my card though.”

The hope was to take a game of miniature golf and raise funds for something much larger: sexual assault prevention. The proceeds from “Puttin’ Around Downtown” go towards educating hospitality workers and bars on how to spot the signs of sexual assault and violence and interrupt before it happens.

“At least 50% of sexual assaults on or around college campuses is associated with alcohol,” Kimmie Andresen-Reed, with the Rape Victim Advocacy Program in Iowa City, said.

Andresen-Reed said the focus was on businesses that primarily cater to nightlife.

“Particularly by the nature of Iowa City and its association with being a college town, this was a big deal for us,” Andresen-Reed said.

“I felt uncomfortable downtown when I was a student,” Cavey said. “I was lucky I had friends with me who could help me get out of the situation, and I can only imagine if somebody didn’t have that type of support around them.”

That was why Cavey said she wanted to play mini-golf to support the education of nightlife staff in a town she once called home.

“We need to get people involved and spread more awareness,” Cavey said. “If it takes us getting out here and having some fun to continue that conversation, we need to take action.”

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