Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April marks the start of Sexual Assualt Awareness Month

Duané Viljoen, Pexels

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Marist’s Title IX office is holding a series of events to combat sexual assault and violence on campus. 

The goal of Sexual Assault Awareness Month is to raise awareness about the causes and risk factors for sexual assault and empower individuals to take steps to prevent it in their communities. 

“Sexual violence is an epidemic,” Title IX Outreach Coordinator Eliza Benfer said. “I think we all have power and deserve mutual respect and bodily autonomy. This is an issue that students on campus are truly passionate about.”

Sexual assault is a pervasive issue on college campuses. Women ages 18-24 are at an elevated risk for sexual violence according to The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). In addition, 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation.

After becoming Marist’s president in the fall of 2022, Kevin C. Weinman revamped the Title IX office. He created a fully new staff with Kelly Yough as the Title IX Coordinator, William Meyer as the Tile IX Investigator and Benfer as the Title IX Outreach Coordinator.

“Marist’s Title IX office has expanded in the last year,” Benfer said. “The first step was hiring me because there was no outreach or program coordinator before. So hiring me has created more awareness, events, and workshops.”

As the Outreach Coordinator, Benfer creates educational workshops and events related to issues such as consent, warning signs, red flags, and more. For Sexual Assault Awareness Month, there are more than five events available for students to attend. The monthly events kick off with an information session from the new No Fox Left Behind Club on April 3. The club is dedicated to combating sexual violence on campus.

Then, students can stop by tables near the student center, dining hall, and tunnel on April 5 to get a Sexual Assault Awareness Month ribbon and sticker. On April 12, students can attend one of the biggest events of the month called the “Take Back the Night Walk.” The walk is the oldest worldwide movement to stand against sexual violence in all forms. Students can meet at the Champagnat courtyard at 8:30 p.m. with signs in hand. 

Hoping to address specific issues prevalent in sexual assault, the event on April 19 called “Consent: It’s as Easy as Fries!” will focus on consent. Fries is an acronym because consent is freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic and specific. Besides addressing the issue of consent, the event will have a potato bar including fries, mashed potatoes, tater tots, and more. 

On April 25, the Title IX Office will hold a “Take Back the Mic” event. There, students will be able to perform at an open-mic night or submit fine art. All performances and art submissions should be geared toward awareness and advocacy for survivors of sexual violence. 

In the final week of April, the Title IX office will hold two events. April 26 is Denim Day which is the annual sexual assault awareness event that works to start conversations about the destructive attitudes surrounding sexual assault such as victim blaming. Students can stop by the Champ Breezeway, the Marain green or the tunnel to get free Denim Day merchandise. 

The final event, the White Ribbon Walk will also take place on April 26 during activity hour and is a joint collaboration between the Title IX office and the Center for Student-Athlete Enhancement. The White Ribbon campaign is a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls. 

If a student on campus does experience sexual violence or sexual assault, they should contact the Title IX office. Sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, and stalking are violations of Marist college’s Code of Student Conduct and its ‘Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct policy. 

“Our job is to give resources to the students who come to us,” Benfer said. “Students can report to our office, call or email us. Kelly Yough will reach out to the person reporting to talk about the next steps. The reporter has control over the situation.” 

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, call the Marist Title IX Office at 845-575-3799. Or reach the office by email at titleix@marist.edu. Marist Counseling can be reached at 845-575-3314.