Women ages 18 to 24 are at an elevated risk of experiencing sexual violence, according to the National Sexual Assault Hotline. It also said sexual violence is more prevalent than any other crime on college campuses, and 11.2 percent of students experience rape or sexual assault through force, violence or incapacitation.
In order for students to get an understanding of the matter and bring awareness, they are required to complete — and ace — an online sexual violence prevention training program called “Not Anymore.”
“It’s a preventative program; it’s an educational program where it talks about how does sexual misconduct appear on the university campus, what are resources for individuals who may be reporting parties and or responding parties or somebody who might be looking for some support,” said Jules Tetreault, associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students. “It’s just an educational tool bring awareness as well as speak to various scenarios that
happen on university campus.”
Tetreault said the questionnaire provides students with an opportunity to reflect on the impact of sexual misconduct, which he said goes beyond just sexual assault and also involves dating and domestic violence, stalking and exploitation. Educating students on prevention, he said, exposes them to support resources, such as VPAS or SART, and helps them to be aware of and understand their own responsibility to see red flags, even as a bystander.
“It kind of lays the foundation for not only the expectations of our students, but also the right for students that they have a right to get an education without feeling as though they are being targeted if they are a victim or a survivor,” said social work major Amanda Valentin, a senior. “[It also gives] them the tools to step in and do something if something is going on or if they do see something suspicious happening, and that way it reaches all students.”
Director of VPAS Center Catherine Christy said the course is a directive from the Board of Regents office and therefore is being taken at Eastern, Western, Central and community colleges.
This year, for the first time ever, it is required for upperclassmen, which she said helps them to remember the content they learned taking a similar course in their first year.
“I just want students to know that it is really to help them,” she said. “We want them to be informed in all of those areas and to feel safe in coming forward if they do want to get support.”
The goals of the course, Christy said, are to provide information on where to go for help and have students recognize what is considered sexual misconduct. It is given in the fall, which is the time of the highest rate of sexual violence on college campuses. The program shows users videos and quizzes them on statistics, red flags, consent and more.
“Not Anymore” states that consent is not possible if the victim was drugged, intoxicated or underage and quick commitment, controlling behavior and intimidation are signs of an emotionally abusive relationship. It also informs students that one in six women and one in 19 men will experience stalking in their lifetime. Additionally, the course also offers captions for the program in six different languages.
The training, which students are given two months to complete, states that it will take less than an hour to do. Despite the short duration of time it promises to consume, some students have found the task to be time-consuming.
However, Tetreault said that the impact of the program outweighs the 45 minutes it takes to finish.
“I have complete faith in our students and our faculty and staff who care enough about this community and care enough about wanting it to be safe,” Tetreault said, “that our students do it and it’s important that they do it.
