The University of Lethbridge is hosting Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Week February 26 to March 1, 2024. (Photo: University of Lethbridge)

By Justin Goulet

U of L to focus on consent as part of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Week

Feb 22, 2024 | 11:32 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The University of Lethbridge (U of L) is set to recognize its first-ever Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Week this month.

The awareness initiative will take place February 26 to March 1, 2024 and is led by the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Team. The week will include various interactive sessions and activities designed to engage students and open the lines of communication on a topic that the U of L stated has been talked about in hushed tones for too long.

Courtney Smith, the U of L’s Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator said, “It’s an issue I try to make as approachable as I can to really meet students where they’re at.”

The theme for the awareness week is ‘Growing a Culture of Consent’. One of the activities planned is a small plant giveaway on February 29.

Smith explained, “Students love the plants, and we’ll probably have all 350 plants given out in an hour or less. It gets them familiar with us and what we do and talking to us about these issues.”

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She added that the week was planned to take place this month because the national sexual violence week happens annually in May, when most students are not around campus.

U OF L POLICY

Smith said she has noticed a culture change since the U of L updated its Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy and made it mandatory for all students to complete a training module online before they register for classes.

She stated, “I’ve seen the biggest change when we set up tables around campus. Honestly, most people used to see our banner and I’d see them turn the other way because they were so afraid to talk to us. Now, because we have talked about it so openly, we’ve become more approachable. I think they know that this is a safe place where they can come up and talk and engage.”

Smith said this year, they are focusing attention on how marginalized individuals are impacted by gender-based violence, including Indigenous populations. One of the activities planned is an Indigenous beading workshop in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous women. That event will be hosted by Indigenous Learning Facilitator Tara Froehlich.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Next week will also feature a mural painting event, a display of love letters to survivors that have been written by U of L students, and an art installation called ‘What You Were Wearing’, featuring clothes of people who have been assaulted.

READ MORE: Art installation aims to disproves myths around sexual assault

Dr. Mary Simmerling’s poem ‘What Was I Wearing’, seen on display in Lethbridge at the ‘What Were You Wearing’ survivor art installation on October 19, 2023. (File photo: LNN)

Smith believes the efforts underway at the U of L are starting to make a difference.

“I’ve seen more awareness of my services and at the same time, fewer people who have accessed my services — which is a good thing. They understand there is a policy here, there are things they have to adhere to and cannot do and they realize we do not tolerate gender-based violence on campus.”

She added that she is finding that more men are willing to participate in the work her team is doing.

Smith said, “I recently gave a guest lecture in a health sciences class, and it was the most engagement I’d ever had from those who identify as men. And in the past two weeks, I’ve had three men — which doesn’t seem like a lot, but it is — all asking to volunteer.”

She continued, “I’ve been in this role since 2019 and I’ve never had male engagement like this. Men sometimes feel they don’t have a space in this, but I think the training has helped some realize they can talk about sexual and gender-based violence. There is a space for everyone, and it takes everyone to work together to dismantle this type of violence.”

Below is a schedule of events for the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Week at the U of L:

• Monday, February 26
  • Mural Painting | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., University Hall Atrium
• Tuesday, February 27
  • Love Letters to Survivors | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., University Hall Atrium
• Wednesday, February 28
  • Indigenous Beading Event | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Iikaisskini Gathering Centre (RSVP required)
    • Beautify Your Space, While Growing a Culture of Consent | 2 to 3:30 p.m., Anderson Hall
• Thursday, February 29
  • Growing a Culture of Consent | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., University Hall Atrium
• Friday, March 1
  • Love Letters to Survivors | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., University Hall Atrium
  • Consent Tea Cart | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Students’ Union
• February 26 to March 1
  • What Were You Wearing art installation | University Hall Atrium

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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