By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on January 31, 2024 to correct that Karsen and Quirós-Cruz are SVSPO staff members, and not executives. Also, to correct that the Black Student Support & Healing Space event is not hosted by SVSPO, but rather, hosted by Health & Counselling Services (HCS). HCS is one of SVSPO’s SAAM event partners.

Content warning: mentions of sexual assault.

January is acknowledged as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The SFU Sexual Violence Support and Prevention Office (SVSPO), alongside Fraser International College, collaborated this month to empower staff and students to learn about the importance of SAAM and discuss sexual violence. Their theme for 2024 is “Masculinities for Humanity.”

Paola Quirós-Cruz and Belinda Karsen from the SFU SVSPO office shared more insight on the goals of SAAM and SFU’s Active Bystander Network (ABN). 

According to Quirós-Cruz and Karsen, the theme “Masculinities for Humanity” reflects the hope to create safe spaces for all genders, including men and boys, to express themselves. As the two SVSPO staff members stated, “Women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people are disproportionally impacted by sexual violence.” However, they feel it is important to include everyone in discussions about how to end acts of sexual violence. Often, men are isolated and excluded from conversations regarding sexual violence. A new study from It’s On Us found that 90% of sexual assaults on university campuses are committed by 5% of the male student population, with the “majority being repeat offenders.” Yet, men “are still left out from sexual assault prevention programs.” Another study also found that many men experience a “reluctance to intervene,” due to “masculine norm socialization.”

Quirós-Cruz and Karsen noted, “The Active Bystander Network works to disrupt these assumptions by inviting the student body to look out for one another and to help create a culture of collective responsibility and care by encouraging the practice of active bystander intervention.” According to RAINN, an active bystander is “someone who interrupts a potentially harmful situation, especially when it comes to sexual violence. They may not be directly involved but they do have the choice and opportunity to speak up and intervene.” Strategies for active bystander intervention include creating a distraction, asking the at-risk individual directly, rallying others, and extending support. 

Cultural change has started to bring awareness to outdated “notions of masculinity and what it means to ‘be a man’ [which] are still prevalent and harming everyone, including men and boys.”

Quirós-Cruz and Karsen explained how the members of ABN, who are all volunteers, support students in building “meaningful connections with like-minded individuals.” ABN aids in creating a safer campus through the various campaigns they enact and by providing knowledge and support for students’ well-being. “Too frequently, the burden of consent and boundary violations is placed on the individuals who have been subjected to harm, that is, the harm is framed as an individual, interpersonal, or private problem,” said the two staff members. 

The ABN has been operating at SFU since 2016, with a mission to create safer campuses. They work to empower students through social media campaigns, outreach, and events. These events aim to start conversations about sexual violence prevention, boundaries, and care. The network was initiated through the development of SFU’s Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy (GP 44). Quirós-Cruz and Karsen noted, “ABN members were a crucial part in helping the university engage students in the policy development process.” When the SVSPO opened in 2018, the ABN helped “raise awareness about the Office, active bystander intervention, safer partying, consent, and healthy relationships.” The ABN is providing the SVSPO with a look into student lives and what is needed to support all students who seek information about sexual violence. 

The SVSPO will be hosting a variety of events throughout January for SAAM, including a talk, “Let’s talk about Masculinities for Humanity,” at the SAAM activity fair on January 23. Health and Counselling Services (HCS), one of the SVSPO’s event partner’s for SAAM, will host a discussion on “Black Student Support and Healing Spaces” on January 26.

For more information about SAAM, check out www.sfu.ca/saam.