Re: “No time for sex consent talk during frosh week: Group” (Gazette, Aug. 2) and “Sensitivity training important at Concordia frosh” (Online letters, Aug. 7)
Following the recent article and letter published by The Gazette regarding the lack of sensitivity training being provided by the student-run Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) at Concordia University, I am writing to offer a sincere apology — and to set the record straight.
On behalf of ASFA, I apologize for the quotations in the Gazette article. We are aware that sexual assault is a serious issue that often goes unreported. We know that undergraduate students at Concordia are bright individuals who can absorb information presented to them through lectures and workshops.
Most important, we are working hard to prevent any occurrences of sexual violence at our events, and to educate our peers about the issue. Let me tell you how.
For years, ASFA has hosted its frosh orientation to welcome new students. ASFA has always tried to ensure a safe environment during orientation. We have previously partnered with the Centre for Gender Advocacy, another student-run group at Concordia, to provide consent training to frosh leaders and establish info booths for new students.
This year, we are continuing to build on that foundation through several proactive initiatives designed to help prevent sexual assault, and foster a culture of consent and open sexual communication on campus:
All our frosh leaders will take mandatory workshops on consent and harm reduction, during which they learn how best to share this information with new students on a peer-to-peer level.
We are placing pamphlets on consent and sexual assault in the bags that will be distributed to each and every new student who participates in our frosh.
At our events, we will prominently display posters that bring attention to consent and sexual assault.
We are partnering with SextEd, an innovative Montreal-based program that offers a texting service for students who have questions about sexual health.
And that’s in addition to the resources offered at Concordia. Through the university’s Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC), all Residence Life staff — people who work directly with students yearlong — are receiving targeted training on sexual consent. Similar workshops are also being given to the university’s coaches and student athletes. Later this fall, SARC will hold three universitywide sessions for students on the topics of sexual communication, taking action to prevent sexual violence, and supporting survivors of sexual assault.
Looking ahead, we’re planning to improve and increase our outreach around sexual consent. We are already collaborating with AIDS Community Care Montreal and SARC to develop consent workshops, and we’re developing a strategy to reach as many students as possible during next year’s orientation. Our ultimate goal: establish mandatory consent workshops tailored directly to the needs of new students.
Rest assured, ASFA will continue to work toward increasing the culture of consent within its organization and events.
Paul Jerajian
President, Arts and Science Federation of Associations
Concordia University
Montreal
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