Consent Week

Consent-Week-banner

 

Human Rights & Equity Services (HRES) is hosting Consent Week from September 19-23, 2022. 

Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in events and workshops taking place throughout the week (see schedule below).  Additionally, HRES is promoting events organized by Action Now Atlantic, a campaign to end sexual and gender-based violence at universities in Atlantic Canada.

Consent Week is part of a national dialogue and events led by Possibility Seeds’ Courage to Act project and High School Too, who have worked with stakeholders across the country to establish a national Consent Awareness Week during the third week of September. This date was chosen because the first six weeks of school are designated the Red Zone, when there is an especially significant increase in sexual violence at schools. Canada would be the first country in the world to recognize and adopt this week to ensure that everyone feels respected and safe wherever they live, work and play.

Consent Week invites folks to have thoughtful, affirming, intersectional and age-appropriate conversations about consent. Responding to rejection, articulating boundaries, respecting bodily autonomy and active listening are valuable life skills. This week is a significant opportunity to reflect, champion, and celebrate consent as a cornerstone of all relationships, not just intimate ones.

Dalhousie Events

Monday, September 19

  • Consent Awareness Booths in Residence – Risley Hall, 4:30-6:00pm

Stop by the booth to spin the prize wheel, answer consent trivia questions, and pick up consent buttons and other helpful info. 

Tuesday September 20

  • Responding to Disclosures – staff/faculty session, 12:00-1:00pm
  • Responding to Disclosures – student session, 5:00-6:00pm

Responding to Disclosures introduces Dalhousie's Purple Folder – a guide to responding to disclosures of sexualized violence. Participants will understand how to respond to a disclosure from a trauma-informed and survivor-centred perspective, ensuring survivor safety and choice is maintained.
Both sessions will be held virtually – email hres@dal.ca to register.

  • #WeBelieveYou Day

Follow our favourite accounts: @dalsurvivorsupport, @actionnowatlantic, @we.worthy.women, @highschooltoo and @possibilityseeds

Wednesday September 21

  • Safety, Dating and Consent, for International Students – International Centre, 3:00-4:30pm

Meeting friends and dating in a new country can be exciting and challenging – this session provides information and strategies to ensure you stay safe and have respectful and consensual interactions.

  • Consent Awareness Booths in Residence – Shirreff Hall, 4:45-6:00pm

Stop by the booth to spin the prize wheel, answer consent trivia questions, and pick up consent buttons and other helpful info. 

Thursday September 22

  • Waves of Change Bystander Intervention Training – McCain Arts & Social Sciences Building, room 1102, 5:00-7:00pm

The Waves of Change Bystander Intervention Program is a peer-facilitated, violence prevention program offered in partnership with universities and colleges across Nova Scotia. Participants are trained various techniques to intervene as bystanders to: interrupt or stop sexual violence, support survivors, hold those who cause harm accountable for their actions, and transform the culture that allows violence to happen.
Email hres@dal.ca to register.

Friday September 23

  • Consent Awareness Booths in Residence – Howe Hall, 4:30-6:00pm

Stop by the booth to spin the prize wheel, answer consent trivia questions, and pick up consent buttons and other helpful info. 

Action Now Atlantic Events

Monday September 19

  • Consent 101 with Emma Duke - 1pm

Tuesday September 20

  • Queering Sex Education with Marlee Liss - 1pm

Wednesday September 21

  • Anonymous Sex Ed Q&A with Dr. Lisa Dawn Hamilton - 7pm

Thursday September 22

  • Racism and Sexual Violence with Kayla Breelove Carter - 1pm

Friday September 23

  • Atlantic Canada Youth Roundtable Discussion - 1pm