Comment on Tammy Hutcheson's post: Agreed Tammy. I feel as though students, staff and faculty should understand what consent is and means.
I appreciate the knowledge of risk factors, both for educating students as well as my own children. The fact that the post-trauma victim response can mimic the appearance of "lying" is a powerful piece of knowledge and invokes the need to change opinions on nonverbal cues in these situations.
Understanding the different measures that may be taken such as sanctions like mandatory counseling, no contact order and suspension.
It is important to know that consent can be eliminated or withdrawn at any time!
Great course, very detailed and informative on defining things like consent and when/how someone can help.
I learned a lot a from this section to include interim measures, remedial measures, sanctions, and information about dating violence, stalking, sexual assault, rape and consent. I thought it was very interesting to learn that students are at a higher risk for sexual assault for the first two years of school.
Good reminder that definitions vary state to state. This material stresses equal treatment of victim and perpetrator. I wish the court system followed this. My daughter was sexually abused when she was 10 y/o by a man in his 40’s. Her counselor and we parents were no allowed in the courtroom. Her testimony was thrown out because in the police report she used the word (touched) and on the stand she used the word (fondled) which was interpreted as embellishing her testimony.
As in previous sections, this is very detail oriented and at times, redundant, but does afford clarity in terms of responsibilities by the institution.
Having this knowledge is very helpful.
What I’ve Learned from the Prevention and Education Module
This module highlighted the critical role that prevention and education play in addressing sex-based harassment and sexual violence on campus. Here are the key takeaways:
Proactive Prevention: Prevention efforts must go beyond just responding to incidents. They should include continuous education on consent, bystander intervention, and the dynamics of sexual violence. By building awareness and understanding, institutions can help prevent incidents from happening in the first place.
Bystander Intervention: Training students, faculty, and staff to recognize potentially harmful situations and empowering them to step in safely is a crucial component of prevention. This not only promotes a culture of accountability but also encourages individuals to support one another.
Ongoing Education: Education about Title IX, VAWA, and institutional policies must be integrated into the campus culture. This means providing regular and mandatory training for all members of the campus community, including students, staff, and faculty, on topics like consent, harassment, and reporting procedures.
Inclusive and Accessible Education: Ensuring that educational programs are inclusive of all identities, including gender, sexual orientation, and disability, is essential for creating a safe and supportive environment. Additionally, making these programs accessible to students and employees in different formats ensures broad participation.
Collaboration and Partnership: Collaborating with campus departments (like student affairs, residence life, and campus safety), as well as local resources (such as crisis centers or law enforcement), strengthens prevention efforts and creates a comprehensive support network for students.
How I Intend to Apply This Learning
Advocate for Comprehensive Education: I will push for consistent, comprehensive, and mandatory training for all members of the campus community. This training should include information on consent, bystander intervention, and how to report and respond to incidents of harassment and violence.
Support Inclusive Practices: I plan to ensure that educational materials and prevention programs are inclusive and accessible to all students, regardless of their identity or background. This includes considering diverse learning styles and using varied communication methods.
Promote Bystander Intervention: I intend to promote and support bystander intervention training, encouraging students and staff to recognize and respond to potentially harmful situations. This will help build a stronger, more proactive campus community.
Foster Partnerships: I will seek opportunities to collaborate with both on-campus departments and off-campus resources to create a more robust prevention and response system for sexual violence and harassment.
Evaluate and Refine Programs: Prevention and education efforts need regular assessment and refinement. I plan to contribute to feedback and evaluation processes to ensure that our programs evolve to meet the needs of our campus community effectively.
By applying these strategies, I aim to foster a safer, more informed, and supportive environment for everyone on campus.
Consent is huge and I think its important to note that consent can be withdrawn at any time, prior consent does not mean that this instance was given consent, and the lack of fighting or saying no does not mean consent.
Educate the team on how to spot issues
It is paramount that investigators understand the psychology of sexual assault victims because they may behave in counterintuitive ways for the situation, e.g., delayed response in reporting the claim.
Being cognizant of what constitutes "consent" as defined by the state you are in, should be part of everyday interaction. Each person has a different level of comfort and acceptance of what is appropriate physical interaction. Be it a benign physical interaction in the workplace or a sexual interaction off campus on the weekend and everything in between. In the end, it comes down to understanding that the level of interaction is based on the victims viewpoint, and we as people in the position to receive reports must be aware of the issues that may present in a victim that may be counterintuitive to believing that a report holds merit.
Safe bystander interventions are interventions that hopefully a roommate or friend would do anyway. The social environment on college campuses often involves alcohol and poor decisions, which can make it difficult for some people to do the right thing. Staying sober and standing up/protecting an intoxicated person can change the outcome of a serious situation. The perpetrator may not even realize he/she is committing a crime.
Comment on Sheila Heinert's post: The education of these subjects in all applications I agree is important. i believe it can be life changing in the right circumstance .
Prevention and education are critical in having a campus culture that prioritizes safety and respect, focusing on proactive measures like awareness campaigns and bystander intervention training.
Cases of Sexual assault should be taken seriously and records of these reports must be documented and handled correctly as in compliance with title IX.
Education about the differences between sexual harassment, domestic violence, stalking and dating violence is such a great way to prevent and address these issues. Not just at work, but in all public places.
