Have you heard about “Prevent SFU?” During the past few weeks, SGA and the Office of Student Development have been working on this new project and I am excited to see it progress.
At the beginning of the semester, I was expecting this project to generate a few new posters on campus regarding safety and sexual assault awareness. Now, I think this initiative represents a possible shift in how we approach this important and sensitive topic.
In any situation where one party negatively affects another, there is a clear need for justice, or an equitable and fair remedy. Respect must be given to both parties, as well as the process that determines what actions will be taken. Concepts such as “due process” and “innocent until proven guilty” guide our society in this regard.
I would argue that in many cases where these types of offenses occur, the community also needs a degree of “justice” that is different from what the victim needs. When one of us is injured, we all are. In a sense, we must all seek a remedy to prevent future injury.
That’s where “Prevent SFU” comes into play. If we are to create a safer, fairer and more open community, we must take steps to prevent future harm AND create more positive interactions to strengthen ourselves as a group.
It’s like taking care of our bodies. When we get sick, we must treat the illness. But a properly functioning human being has an immune system and natural barriers that prevent and stop pathogens in the first place. Our community needs to strengthen our collective immune system as it relates to sexual assault and harassment.
That is the goal of “Prevent SFU.” Through education, community engagement and innovative measures, this initiative looks to equip our community with the knowledge and skills to protect ourselves and prevent future harm.
I encourage you to seek out and engage in this work as it continues to form. We will all benefit from it! Special thanks to Associate Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator Lynn Banks, as well as Nayah Williams and Riti Bhatnagar, for their work on this project.
