Seniors Hannah Dienhart, Sofia Hassan, and Sam Blaire are seniors at Grandview who are taking a stand against and raising awareness against sexual assault.  

With the creation of their club Hands Off, they’re making significant improvements in protecting and advocating for those who have or have not experienced forms of physical or sexual abuse. 

 “We go over healthy relationships, safety tips, and protecting yourself,” Hassan said.

They also take the time to understand the immense importance of these topics. 

“It’s important that everyone knows how to stay safe out there,” Blaire said. “There are a lot of bad people and it’s good that people have the knowledge and information on how to keep themselves safe.”

In the club, other kinds of relationships like siblings, and friends are also discussed. 

“Relationships go beyond romantic ones so we also focus on friendships and familiar relationships too,” Hassan said. 

The club welcomes any person, regardless of gender, that is interested in joining. 

“I know a lot of main focuses or people tend to think of [only] women when it comes to sexual assault.” Dienhart said.“ We definitely wanted to make sure that everyone felt welcomed, people of all genders get assaulted.”

English teacher Kate Lower is a sponsor and a significant influence and support system within the Hands off Club. 

“We all love her very much and she’s just amazing,” Dienhart said.

In situations, the issue of sexual assault is being brought into a clearer perspective. 

 “It always seemed as something that happen[ed] to other people. Now, I realize that there are things I can do like not help it but help people keep safe,” said Hassan. 

Hands-Off Club also shows their deeper connection to the club, and how they see it as more than just an after-school activity. 

“I feel really emotionally connected to the club,” Blaire said. “I think it’s really important and I like having our little meetings and buying treats. I just like the community.”

While the number of club members is small currently,  the members do not let it affect their confidence to carry out the club’s mission. 

“We’re trying to build a community with everyone even though it’s a small club,” said Hassan. 

While developing the club, the founders hit many roadblocks that made it challenging for growth.  

“ I know [our original coordinator] couldn’t get a Schoology group for it and it was like the club was very underlooked,” Dienhart said. 

The Hands-Off Club has experienced many struggles, but they continue to fight.  

 “This year we definitely have a much better sponsor,” Dienhart said. “We are getting a Schoology page, and we have an Instagram page.”

The members of the Hands-Off Club are hopeful about their options when it comes to future collaborations. 

“We definitely want to combine with other clubs for certain things,” Dienhart said.” [Such as] QSA (Queer Student Alliance), and the mental health club for volunteering and funding donations.”

As Hands-Off Club continues to grow, leaders continue to set their eyes on their primary goal. 

“We want to give students a sense of safety when they’re out and make them feel prepared in case something bad happens,” Hassan said. “Hopefully increasing their chances of surviving and getting out of dangerous situations.”