Every MSU student remembers getting the email to attend a Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence, or SARV, workshop sometime during freshman year. While most students can't doubt the significance of the workshops, many students choose to forgo the meetings, and with no consequences in place for doing so, continue the year without the training.
Program Coordinator of SARV Kelly Schweda said MSU takes SARV very seriously. The overall goal is to educate those who are new to campus on “sexual assault, stalking, relationship violence as well as consent,” Schweda said.
There are also additional resources students may use, such as confidential report systems, in order to aid survivor support.
“Attending a workshop is the only way to ensure each student is educated and empowered to help end violence on campus,” Schweda said.
It is because of this that Schweda and SARV have ensured “each neighborhood hosts multiple sessions at different times and dates. The amount of sessions per neighborhood is based on number of incoming students in that neighborhood,” in order to maximize availability, she said.
However, many students still feel the mandatory SARV workshops are not effective in relaying the true meaning of sexual assault prevention, and oftentimes students skip the meeting altogether.
Marketing freshman Austin Bouma said he feels less than thrilled at the idea of the meetings and plans to skip them.
“Sexual assault is not a problem for me,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’d get anything out of it.”
There are currently no university repercussions for a student that decides to forgo the training.
President Lou Anna K. Simon expressed a need for more voluntary and intimate involvement between representatives of the university as well as incoming students.
“The real issue I think is how we deal with this as a society and as culture,” President Simon said in an editorial board with The State News. “The way in which students can engage with other students to protect your fellow Spartan, most of that will occur on this side of Grand River,” referring to the East Lansing side, rather than on campus.
According to the most recent sexual assault survey conducted by the Association of American Universities, 52 percent of respondents had experienced nonconsensual touching involving physical force or incapacitation on campus or affiliated property, while 48 percent responded their experiences were off campus. 8,352 MSU students responded in the survey.
Assistant Director of Communications of REHS Ashley Chaney said Residence Assistants are specially trained to handle the sensitive issue of sexual assault, relationship violence and consent.
The sessions include comprehensive training from a variety of sources including “Office of Institutional Equity, MSUPD and advocacy staff (staff from Sexual Assault Program, SafePlace, SARV, etc.),” Chaney said.
The Resident Assistant training, Chaney said, is vital in creating an intimate environment for residents because the role “is an important one in maintaining safety and security in our residence halls.”
President Simon also stated the SARV workshops should be voluntarily attended so as to increase what students learn from them.
“Research would suggest that you could get more traction, social norm-ing, social behavior by voluntary activities that large portions of students participate in than making it a required piece,” Simon said.
