Carleton’s Sexual Assault Awareness Week Focuses on Breaking the Silence and Supporting Survivors
By Elizabeth Murphy
Carleton University recently hosted its annual Sexual Assault Awareness Week, highlighting the critical work underway to support survivors, educate the community and raise awareness about the fight to end sexual violence. Carleton’s Equity Services Department organized the week in co-ordination with more than 10 university groups. It was held from Jan. 22 to Jan. 26, 2018.
“It’s important that Carleton University feels like a safe space to disclose experiences of sexual violence,” said Carleton President Alastair Summerlee. “This week is about bringing that conversation to the forefront and recognizing that it’s by breaking the silence around sexual violence that we begin to end it.”
The week began with two events focused on supporting survivors led by celebrated writer and academic Tracey Lindberg. Lindberg led a survivor’s writing circle – providing a creative space for attendees to use writing as an instrument of recovery.
Later that evening, Lindberg delivered a keynote address on the powerful role of storytelling in healing and renewal as part of the opening of the art installation What Were You Wearing? The impactful collection dispels the destructive myth that what a sexual assault survivor wore somehow caused the violence.
“This is a powerful message that there is a wide range of experiences when it comes to sexual violence and that we need to challenge the culture that implies a survivor does something to bring sexual violence on themselves,” said Summerlee. “It’s time to start asking why violence was committed, rather than what the survivor was wearing.”
The art display is a collection of garments that match descriptions from survivors and an anonymous testimonial about the sexual violence they experienced. It was featured in the University Centre Galleria throughout the week.
As part of the installation, attendees were able to fill in a section of a community care colouring poster. Inscribed with the words “We believe you.”
Workshops and events included a Survivors Speak Event organized by the Womyn’s Centre, where performers used a variety of artistic forms, including spoken word, general talks, storytelling and music.
“It was important to us that we start the conversation about sexual violence and keep it going, because breaking down walls of silence is the best way we can prevent sexual violence in the future,” said organizer Bailey Reid, equity adviser in Carleton’s Department of Equity Services. “For anyone who needs support, Equity Services can provide academic accommodations, referrals to counselling and peer support programming.”
To help educate the community on how they can help survivors, Carleton’s Sexual Assault Support Services held the event How to Support a Friend Workshop at the University Centre.
An information fair of campus resource providers was held as the week drew to a close.
“We wanted to send a powerful message to survivors of sexual violence,” said Reid. “It was important to us that survivors know that when they disclose to someone at Carleton, we recognize them as the experts in their own lives, will treat them with dignity and respect and will believe them. It’s critical that this campus feel like a safe space to talk about these issues.”
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