Consent
“No” Does Not Mean “Convince Me” — Unknown.
Consent
We consent to things daily! In fact, a recent survey showed the average adult makes over 35,000 decisions/day. We are actually experts in consent and decision-making. However, when it comes to sex and intimacy, we tend to believe it’s confusing, unclear and “grey.” Consent at its core is when everyone involved freely and willingly agree to participate – when all involved are in harmony. For more information, including ages of consent per state, and more details about consent, when consent is given, not given, and how to ensure you have consent, please see the resources below, and our definition of consent here.
Healthy Relationships
“Love in such a way that the person you love feels free.” — Thich Nhat Hạnh (Vietnamese global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist).
Healthy Relationships
Bystander Intervention
If you see something, say something. Bystander Intervention is recognizing a potentially harmful situation or interaction and choosing to respond in a way that could positively influence the outcome. So how do you practice bystander intervention?
Remember the 4 Ds
- “Are you ok? Let’s call someone for you.”
- “They look drunk, I don’t think that is a good idea.”
- “You need to leave them alone.”
Distract: Take an indirect approach to engage with the harasser and give the victim the opportunity to leave or get help. Your goal is to interrupt the behavior, not necessarily confronting it in the moment.
- Pretend to know the person and start a conversation.
- Hey, I like your___. Where did you get that?
Delegate: Have a plan before you head out so if/when something happens, you know who is doing what. Look for people to back you up when it is time to intervene. This also helps create a shared sense of responsibility among community members.
Delay: Don’t forget, you can “delay” either party. When you are talking to the victim, let them make as many decisions as possible, you’re there to help. Ask:
- “Are you OK?”
- “Who can I call?”
- “Do you need a ride?”
- “What can I get you?”
Intervention from a bystander sends a powerful message about what is acceptable and expected behavior within a community. Any bystander can play an active role in preventing further harm directed toward another by employing one or more of the strategies above. Want to learn more? Reach out to your on-campus sexual prevention program or a trusted adult.
Social Media
Before you text, type or speak, THINK first. Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?
Social Media
With 95% of teenagers having access to a smartphone, and 45% saying they are online almost constantly, there is little doubt that social media has a significant impact on teenagers lives. Research shows that the way in which teenagers feel social media affects their lives varies: 31% say it has a mostly positive effect, 45% say that it has neither a positive nor negative effect, and 24% say it has a mostly negative effect. Additionally, 98% of college students use social media on a daily basis and a study by UCLA shows that 27.2% of college students spend more than six hours on social media a week. According to researchers, a significant number of college students can’t stop themselves from constantly checking their social media to see if anything new has occurred. We encourage you to check out the resources below to help identify ways to: make your social media experience more positive, be a kinder and more thoughtful user of social media, eliminate toxic social media connections, and develop a healthier relationship with social media overall.
Men and boys
“Once men realize that gender roles are a prison for them too, they become valuable allies. Because they’re not just helping someone else, they’re freeing themselves.” — Gloria Steinem, American feminist journalist and social-political activist and Co-Founder of Ms. magazine
Men and boys
Speaking up and out
“The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, French statesmen and military leader
Speaking up and out
Sexual violence prevention means stopping the behavior before it ever starts. In other words, preventing people from assaulting others in the first place. An active bystander is someone who is able to identify offensive comments and behaviors and safely interrupt the behavior in order to decrease the likelihood of a dangerous or harmful situation. This can range from not laughing at a sexist joke, to calling someone out for committing sexual assault. Speaking up & out is a vital piece to preventing sexual assault. Knowing how to do it in a way that feels safe and effective, however, can be difficult.
Get involved
“I raise up my voice – not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard.” — Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate
English 
Español