A new poster campaign taking place at 25 colleges in the U.S. and Mexico encourages students to question the "hook-up" culture so rampant on campuses and to choose healthier alternatives.

The Catholic News Agency (CNA) is reporting that the posters are being distributed by the student-led Love and Fidelity Network as part of an ongoing effort to counter this cultural trend that has been so destructive to young men and women.

The posters portray the message, “Expect more. That’s our stand. Are you in good hands?” and contain statistics taken from recent research on the hookup culture showing just how devastating it is for young adults.

For instance:

• 55 percent of women feel less respected after a hook-up;
• casual hook-ups are linked to anxiety and depression;
• most college men and women wish they could go out on a real date;
• 89 percent of college men and women say they want more than what the hook-up scene offers.

"The posters . . . are designed to show the truth about the hookup culture and particularly discourage new students from participating in it," the LFN team writes on its website.

"Since part of the problem on campus is that no one is telling students about the emotional dangers involved, our goal for the poster campaign is to educate and enlighten students about the reality of the experience. . . . We want students to expect more out of their relationships than the emptiness and loneliness that the hookup culture offers. This is why we chose images for the posters that both express the hurt behind the hookup culture, but also cast a vision for what healthy, happy relationships should look like."

LFN director Caitlin (Seery) La Ruffa told CNA that the posters are aimed at new students who are transitioning into college life where they are too often expected to participate in the hook-up culture by default.

“ . . . (W)e want these posters to encourage students to think critically about their decisions,” La Ruffa said. “Instead of portraying the hook-up culture as inherently integral to collegiate life as orientation programs often do, we hope to spark discussion and give support to students seeking a healthier alternative.”

The poster campaign will be accompanied by a series of talks about the hookup culture by student leaders who will explain the reasons why students should avoid becoming involved in behaviors that promote noncommittal physical encounters.

“College freshmen often come to campus looking forward to the best four years of their life,” La Ruffa said. “But campus orientations all too often do not set students up for successful and happy relationships" because they treat the serious subject of the prevailing hook-up culture much too casually.

As a result, students are left vulnerable to depression, anxiety and even sexual assault.

"We believe that students deserve to hear a different message, and to know that there can be an alternative to the hook-up culture that can leave students unfulfilled, used, and unhappy.”

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