Be Part of the Solution
We all have the power to contribute positively to a healthier and safer campus culture. Below you will find simple ways you can support survivors and promote our core values of Caring, Respect and Impact.
Relationship + Sexual Violence Prevention Educators
The Relationship + Sexual Violence Prevention Educators (RSVPs) are a team of student leaders who work to educate and engage students about sexual assault prevention, dating violence and healthy relationships, consent and more by facilitating dialogues, workshops, and events on campus.
In addition to getting involved in campus initiatives, community members can also:
From borrowing a shirt from a friend down the hall to navigating when lights go out in your dorm room, consent is necessary.
Here are a few easy phrases you can say to initiate dialogue around consent for almost any topic.
"Is it alright with you if I..."
"I really like _____ , do you?"
"Are you okay with this?"
When not confronted, sexist jokes, comments, and norms facilitate space that is permissive of sexual violence and gender-based harassment. Think of interpersonal violence along a continuum or pyramid where comments and jokes sit at the foundation of that pyramid. Confronting sexist comments, jokes, and inappropriate norms, knocks out that foundation so that more egregious behaviors are not supported in our community.
As community members, we are all part of a web of interconnected individuals who have the power to take action to help others before, during, or after an event.
98% of Bentley students would want a peer to intervene on their behalf of their health or safety were in danger. (Source: Bentley Everfi Course Surveys, 2007-present)
Challenge Rape Myths
A rape myth is a harmful and false belief about sexual violence. These beliefs shift the blame from the perpetrator to the survivor. A survivor should never be blamed for a perpetrators behavior of sexual misconduct. Rape myths can harm our community's knowledge and attitudes about sexual assault.
Below are some common rape myths and the factual information to correct them.
Fact: The way a person dresses or acts does not ever mean they are asking to be harmed.
Fact: Freezing is a common reaction to a threatening event. We often hear about fight or flight, but it's really fight, flight or freeze. Additionally, perpetrators can use substances or forms of coercion to incapacitate a victim.
Fact: Sexual violence is about power and control over another individual. People can control their desires.
Fact: On college campuses, most assaults are committed by someone the survivor knows like a classmate, neighbor, or friend.
Fact: Men can be survivors of interpersonal violence and assault. It is estimated that 1 in 33 men are sexually assaulted in their lifetime.
Fact: Sexual assaults are no more likely to be falsely reported than any other crime. The FBI estimates that only 2% of reported instances are false. Further, sexual assault is often underreported.
Fact: Consent is reversible. A person can change their mind at any time during any activity. Additionally, consent to an activity one day, does not imply that you consent to that activity again.
Fact: These are physiological reactions that can result outside of a consensual interaction. Having an orgasm does not mean someone enjoyed nor consented to the behavior.