Let’s spread healthy relationships

Every year, various University organizations recognize the week of Valentine’s Day to promote healthy, happy relationships campus-wide. This year, the student body has demonstrated a strong sense of support and solidarity.

 

A large portion of the week was dedicated to addressing sexual harassment and sexual assault, encouraging individuals to seek help when needed. There is a wide range of resources available on campus to ensure that students know that they are never alone in carrying the burden of sexual assault. The programs and events below are designed to provide all students with guidance and information.

 

Speak UP

 

Speak UP offers a wide assortment of programs, presentations, and events specifically designed to help students understand what consent and healthy relationships should look like by teaching students about the warning signs of sexual assault and dating violence. The program also helps to inform students of the positive bystander model and possible guidance in aiding a friend who may be a survivor of interpersonal violence.

 

In the fall semester, Speak UP hosts numerous campus-wide events. One of its largest programs is Take Back the Night, an awareness event that aims to end all forms of sexual, relationship, and domestic violence. The program invites survivors, friends of survivors, Speak UP allies, and the entire University community to conceive of and reflect upon the campus-wide initiative to spread awareness of interpersonal violence.

 

Other events include The Clothesline Project, in which students are invited to write messages on T-shirts to support survivors or take their own stance against sexual and dating violence. The Red Flag Campaign also encourages University community members to recognize “red flags,” which are indicative of abusive or unhealthy interpersonal behavior.

 

Through normalizing conversations regarding sexual violence, reinforcing the concept of consent, and encouraging a positive bystander model, Speak UP aspires to make great strides in the wellness and safety of the student body.

 

On Feb. 12, Speak UP welcomed students to attend a sex panel where students were given a platform to discuss hookup culture at the University, as well as any personal experiences they were willing to share.

 

Additional resources

 

The University provides many confidential resources, including the Advocates, the Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC), Bucknell Student Health (BSH), and the University Chaplains. Some other resources available to all students include Title IX Coordinator Kate Grimes, Public Safety, the local Buffalo Valley Regional Police, Evangelical Community Hospital, and the local crisis center Transitions.

 

Importance on our campus

 

The realities of campus sexual assault have driven universities across the country to establish methods to prevent incidents of sexual violence on campus. Many universities have programs similar to Speak UP, where students are informed of how to be a positive bystander and grow awareness of potential “red flags” in relationships and interpersonal interactions.

 

Raising awareness

 

Students and various organizations continually work hard to support survivors and change the culture related to sexual assault on campus.

 

“Alpha Chi Omega’s goal is to raise awareness for domestic violence on Bucknell’s campus. Sexual assault is such a prevalent issue on college campuses. We work closely with Transitions of Pennsylvania, which is a center that provides help and empowerment to sexual assault survivors. We contribute to them and the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation through our different philanthropy events,” Vice President of Philanthropy for Alpha Chi Omega Haley Casper ’21 said.

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