Published on October 14, 2015 | by Michelle Bedley Photography by Michelle Bedley
0Anti-sexual violence program makes awareness sexy
According to research, most sexual violence and assault cases happen within the first eight weeks of school, said Humber College health promotion coordinator Tanzina Islam.
So the University of Guelph-Humber paired with Humber College and the Humber Student Federation to launch the first ever Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention month. Starting in early September for back to school, the programs will run for five weeks.
Every week brings a different approach, said Islam, “stemming from awareness to action.” The first weeks focused on initiating campaigns that were informative for students and staff.
Can I Kiss You, the presentation that kick-started the month, was released at Orientation 2015 and aimed to provide first year students with knowledge on consent, bystander protocol and support for victims.
In the following weeks, Humber TV screens featured the Ontario Government’s #whowillyouhelp video demonstrating the underlying causes of sexual violence.
Around campus, students are exposed to campaigns around every corner. Plastered along the halls of the school are Consent is Sexy posters and free buttons, which take a stand against forceful sexual violence by idealizing consent from both partners.
The remaining weeks include action-based programs such as R.A.D. (Rape-Aggression-Defense) training and Bringing in the Bystander sessions.
The self-defence training is the most recent action-based program aimed specifically at women.
The free sessions teach women both theory and self-defence in a two-class time period. The aim, said director of public safety Robert Kilfoyle, “is to provide them with the confidence to know that they have some techniques that they can easily deploy regardless of strength or physical fitness.”
In a time when sexual violence acts are becoming more prevalent on Ontario campuses, the self-defence program provides prevention measures for women who have experienced varying degrees of sexual violence. Kilfoyle said, “there are people who come to these courses who have been victimized or survived sexual assault.”
The launch of the Sexual Violence Awareness month stems from the Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence Policy that aims to make these incidents a priority within the school. The policy ensures that there is a protocol in dealing with sexual violence incidents along with confidentiality rights and various resources for victims.
The policy came into effect in March 2015 and serves all Humber and Guelph-Humber students and staff. Islam said, “the programs in the Sexual Violence Awareness month work to highlight and promote the policy.”
About the Author
Michelle Bedley Is a journalism student, avid reader and aspiring editorial writer.
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