Cyndi Briggs, director for gender issues and retention, and SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) member, submitted a document at the last board of trustees meeting outlining how Guilford is addressing the issue of sexual assault on campus.
“The message we want to get across with the programming and policy changes is that sexual assault will not be tolerated on this campus,” Briggs said. “We take this matter very seriously.”
One step taken by the college is the creation of a revised sexual assault protocol, which is slated to be released to the community next month.
“The revised document will be about 11 pages, where as the original was three to four. We have made it much clearer,” Briggs said. “I strongly encourage discussion and feedback on the document.”
In addition, a number of programs are being scheduled for Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), in April. One program will include a panel discussion and workshop on how to ask your partner for consent without ‘breaking the mood’.
“On Thursday, April 17 at 8 p.m. Cecily Fuller, Emily Gelblum and I will be presenting a panel discussion and workshop about how to ask for consent in a sexy way,” said Lindsey Gallagher, student coordinator for SAAM. “We plan on having speakers from Planned Parenthood, possibly a dominatrix, and other faculty and sex educators.”
Watch for a complete listing of the month’s events in the coming days.