Affirmative consent can combat sexual violence
Playing sports at the college level is often the realization of a young person’s lifelong aspirations and hard work. To have that dream scarred by sexual violence is something that no one should ever experience and that others should not silently stand by and witness. Athletics can be empowering spaces for building strong relationships. Unfortunately, athletics can also be spaces that produce and perpetuate cultural norms which promote harm.
In a research study of college men, “It’s On Us,” researchers found nearly 60% of more than 700 surveyed male athletes mentioned “not knowing the full context” as a reason they would not intervene as a bystander to sexual violence. Student athletes hold influence in their communities. Sports teams have the potential to be effective home bases for prevention efforts, but only if they are given the tools and institutional support to do so.
Recent reports of sexual violence and hazing at two universities in New Mexico are symptoms of larger problems within college communities. It is understandable in these situations for our initial reaction to be to seek to punish. However, preventing and responding to sexual violence is about cultural shifts, not punishment. When we address these incidents from an individual, punitive perspective, we increase the secrecy around the behavior and continue to cultivate a culture that perpetuates sexual violence.
Sexual violence does not go away in environments of silence and shame. Instead of relying on policy solutions that increase shame, it is essential to have hard conversations about organizational cultures, prevention efforts and trauma-informed responses before sexual violence happens.
Since 2019, we have repeatedly introduced evidence based legislation to the state Legislature to begin addressing the culture of sexual violence within our educational institutions.
This legislation, known as Affirmative Consent, would require students to be educated about affirmative consent, require trauma-informed policies and responses by colleges and universities that receive state funds, create partnerships with local rape crisis centers to provide student-survivors with free access to services, and protect survivors and bystanders from punishment if their school’s student code of conduct was broken at or near the time of the incidence of sexual violence.
In short, this legislation would help create the institutional framework to hold those who cause harm accountable for their actions, support survivors, and prevent sexual assault on campus.
Additionally, colleges and universities have guiding mandates such as Title IX, which requires clear processes to respond to sexual violence on campus. Despite this, many students graduate from college unaware that their university had a duty to prevent and remedy sexual assault in the campus community.
Many students are unaware or confused about processes they can utilize on-campus if they experience sexual assault. Many are also unaware that their university should be facilitating access to free and confidential advocates, therapists, and other support, regardless of whether they file a formal complaint with their university. For colleges and universities, implementing Title IX is a good start towards the cultural shifts needed to enhance safety on campus.
Jess Clark is director of Sexual Violence Prevention, the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs.