Here’s a condom; don’t get people pregnant
Participant 1: I don't know if anywhere sexual education was different, but mine consisted of "Here's a condom; don't get people pregnant; you'll get diseases; and your body is changing." There was nothing about consent, pleasure for other sexes. It kind of has the whole thinking of, "Okay, yes means yes and no means no." And there's so much more. [...]
Participant 2: I know, for instance, my partner- she went to a Catholic high school. [...] She said, "oh, every past experience, I let the guy do what he wanted, and I just went along with it." I'm like, "that's not consent," and she goes, "oh, yeah." But like it is very much what you're not taught in high school- and I think this is great (points at policy) but knowing what consent is and knowing what consent is not and knowing whether or not you have been a victim/perpetrator of sexual assault is a big part of it.
Recommendations
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Sign on with a service such as KeepMe.Safe, which connects students with mental health professionals from cultures around the world and promote this service as part of university SV/SA service provision.
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Ensure all sexual violence prevention and response education and training opportunities actively deconstruct victim-blaming, rape myths and gender norms. Ensure these sessions take an intersectional approach to understanding sexual violence and supporting victim/survivors.
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Emphasize the victim's right to decide whether they would like to report the incident after they have disclosed it to the university. Ensure the victim is aware of the formal and informal routes for reporting, including the option of reporting to the police. Clearly communicate any limits to confidentiality.