By Rachel Yehoda, Program Coordinator (Prevention & Education)
When it comes to sexual violence prevention efforts, engaging college students in the prevention movement is a critical piece towards progress. Resources and programs are continually being developed to address the issue of campus sexual assault and enhance prevention strategies on college and university campuses across the country. In this quarter’s College Consortium column, we highlight the #LIVERESPECT on Campus movement from A Call to Men, an organization focused on educating men on healthy and respectful manhood as a way of preventing different forms of violence against women and girls.
A Call to Men launched their new #LIVERESPECT on Campus movement in early March 2018. This movement aims to engage college students “who want to promote healthy, respectful manhood, and prevent dating violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, bullying, and all forms of violence and discrimination.” [1] The #LIVERESPECT on Campus movement emphasizes that everyone has a voice that can influence change and create a culture that promotes respect. As a part of this movement, a free toolkit is available for download from A Call to Men’s #LIVERESPECT on Campus webpage. This toolkit provides campuses with the necessary tools to create a culture on campus that values respect, equity, and safety. The toolkit has information about organizing prevention efforts, including samples of social media posts, handouts, and posters that can be used to engage students on campus.
Campaigns like #LIVERESPECT on Campus are helpful for engaging the entire campus community in prevention efforts. In our prevention work, we need to move beyond just focusing on the individual and work towards addressing the issue of sexual assault throughout the entire campus community. On campus and beyond, we all have a role to play in preventing sexual violence in our society.
For more information about the #LIVERESPECT on Campus movement, visit A Call to Men’s website and take the pledge today!
[1] “#LIVERESPECT on Campus," A Call to Men, http://www.acalltomen.org/liverespect-on-campus/
