UMSU’s healthy sexuality week kicked off Monday at the U of M.
Until Friday, UMSU will offer an array of programming under the central theme of providing education on healthy sex. The array includes tabling in UMSU University Centre throughout the entire week, an art project on sexual violence at the Fireside Lounge Friday and a movie screening at the U of M Graduate Students’ Association (UMGSA) lounge Thursday.
Consent culture and the process of giving and receiving sexual consent is a central theme of the week.
Consent has become a recurring topic at the U of M after two instances of inappropriate sexual behaviour toward students by professors have become public in just over a year. On the first day of classes, U of M president David Barnard apologized to students affected by this behaviour on campus and promised the school would continue to combat the issue.
UMSU VP advocacy Sarah Bonner-Proulx said the goal of the week is to provide accessible, informative resources on sexual health to students.
“UMSU’s aim for this week with respect to sexual violence and consent is to ensure that students are aware of the resources and supports available to them and to answer questions students may have surrounding these topics,” Bonner-Proulx said.
Bonner-Proulx added that the recent spotlight on sexual misconduct on campus is all the more reason for students to take the time to learn about their options should they deal with inappropriate behaviour on campus.
“Sexual violence has been and continues to be an important topic on campus,” Bonner-Proulx said.
“In light of recent news of investigations against faculty members for sexual misconduct, it is definitely important to address the topic of power relationships and how they play a role in consent.”
Justice for Women Manitoba, a campus organization that has been offering consent culture training to student groups throughout the summer and into the school year, provided its workshops free for all students Tuesday and Wednesday.
The group, along with Bonner-Proulx, recently called for the U of M administration to make similar workshops mandatory for all faculty.
“These workshops address all types of sexual violence and associated behaviours, consent and how to get it, as well [as] power relationships and a bystander intervention component,” Bonner-Proulx said.
