California State University, Bakersfield is hosting several events this April to support sexual assault survivors and expand awareness in the campus community as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The month’s events start on Tuesday, April 11, with Teal Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students, faculty and staff can help raise awareness about sexual assault by wearing teal and stopping by the Student Union patio to receive a teal ribbon.
The goals of the programming are to support sexual assault survivors as well as to educate the campus community in the hopes of preventing future assaults.
“Sexual Assault Awareness Month is an opportunity for our community to come together and show survivors that we support them,” said Campus Advocate and Education Coordinator Casey Harris. “SAAM gives us all an opportunity to show solidarity and create a safe atmosphere for survivors to tell their stories with their community supporting them along the way. This month is to honor survivors and victims.”
CSUB is hosting a panel discussion titled “Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity” on April 19 at 5 p.m. in the Student Union multipurpose room.
The panelists, which include Harris and University Police Department Sgt. Carlos Fuentes, will discuss how their agency or department works with sexual assault survivors from different backgrounds and what steps they are taking to be more inclusive to survivors of marginalized groups.
A presentation titled “Machismo: Engaging Men in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence,” will be provided on April 25 from 12-1 p.m. in the Stockdale Room. Representatives from CSUB’s Department of Diversity, Equity and Compliance, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, will lead the presentation.
As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, CSUB will also observe Denim Day on April 26 from 10 am. to 2 p.m at the Student Union patio.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wear denim to show solidarity for sexual assault survivors. They will also be able to write messages of support on jeans that will be displayed on campus.
Denim Day was created in 1999 following an Italian rape conviction that was overturned by a court because the justices felt the victim was implying sexual consent by wearing tight jeans.
As the campus advocate, Harris is available year-round for students, faculty and staff to talk with her confidentially about their experiences, file reports as well as get information about counseling and other support services.
For more information about services provided through the Campus Advocate office, visit the university’s Equity, Inclusion and Compliance website.
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