Students Address Sexual Assault on Campus

On January 26, NC State Student Government hosted a town hall on sexual assault prevention. The event was organized by the Director of University Affairs Soraya Russell and moderated by Student Senator Mia Connell. The town hall consisted of four short presentations from campus partners followed by open dialogue.

Dr. Linda McCabe Smith, vice provost of OIED, spoke on Title IX in regards to its definition, legal implications, and the university’s role. Robinette Kelley, associate vice provost of OIED and deputy Title IX coordinator, presented some of the university’s new initiatives to prevent and respond to sexual assault. These consist of a university-wide sexual assault survey that will be distributed in April, a comprehensive SAFE at NC State website for sexual violence resources, and a poster campaign to be released later this month around campus in English and Spanish.

The presentations ended with Lisa LaBarbera-Mascote, director of the NC State Women’s Center, discussing the ways that the Women’s Center can provide support in prevention and response to sexual assault. The Women’s Center has a peer educator group, The Movement, which offers workshops on topics such as healthy relationships. The Women’s Center also hosts awareness events like the Clothesline Project and Take Back the Night during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Additionally, the Women’s Center provides advocacy services for survivors such as assistance with reporting and support during student conduct hearings as well as assisting with changes in housing. The Women’s Center’s programming and advocacy services are open to students of all identities.

Open dialogue consisted of topics around changing the culture on campus, supporting survivors, and campus procedures and resources. Students had the opportunity to ask thoughtful questions to which faculty and staff could respond. In response to a particular question, Renee Wells, director of the GLBT Center, noted that survivors in the GLBT community face different dynamics and often have different barriers to reporting that are specific to the community.

In addition to workshops by The Movement Peer Educators, the GLBT Center and Women’s Center will co-host events this semester about ways to support friends who are survivors in the GLBT community. Campus community centers will continue to tackle conversations about sexual assault prevention and response in order to make NC State’s approach fully intersectional.