Drexel Launches Sexual Violence Awareness Month

Logo for the Office of Equality and Diversity's Title IX campaign.

The problem of sexual violence on college campuses cannot be ignored.

At Drexel, efforts are being made not just to bring awareness to the issue, but to encourage the community to step up efforts to prevent assaults.

“Our ability to prevent sexual violence in our community requires a collective effort by faculty, professional staff, administrators, and students,” said Michele Rovinsky-Mayer, associate vice president of Equality and Diversity. “It really is on all of us to create a culture where gender discrimination in any form is not tolerated.”

Throughout April, which is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Drexel’s Office of Equality and Diversity is leading efforts to raise campus consciousness of sexual violence.

It won’t be uncommon to see teal shirts in the Drexel community in April. Teal is the color that represents the fight against sexual violence, and those wearing the shirts stand as advocates for taking a more proactive role to prevention.

The message from the Office of Equality and Diversity is, “See something? Hear Something? Know something? Say something!”

In a recent town hall meeting, President John Fry spoke on the need to focus on issues of sexual violence, which fall under the federal Title IX statute.

“You can’t have a civil university environment and have people committing crimes on others,” he said.

Throughout the month, there will be a variety ways to learn more and to show your support of the cause. Here are a few examples:

• Every Tuesday, street teams will be on campus wearing teal and distributing materials to promote awareness and prevention of sexual violence. For more information, contact Paul Apicella, JD, Title IX compliance specialist in the Office of Equality and Diversity at pwa29@drexel.edu.

• Additionally, everyone is encouraged to wear teal on Tuesdays as a show of solidarity. The Office of Equality and Diversity will be distributing the shirts.

• Bystander intervention training is going to be offered in a pilot program April 24 (10–11:30 p.m.) and April 29 (6–7:30 p.m.). The training will educate members of the Drexel community on how to prevent and respond to sexual violence proactively. For more information, contact Millie Carvalho-Grevious, PhD, diversity and inclusion coordinator in the Office of Equality and Diversity, at mcgrevious@drexel.edu.

For anyone who needs help, knows someone who may need help or just wants to know more, the Office of Equality and Diversity has a new Title IX site complete with resources here.