Rutgers University-Newark SGA Hosts SAFER Workshop

NEWARK, NJ — As part of the Yes Means Yes campaign, the Rutgers University-Newark Student Governing Association hosted a Students Active For Ending Rape (SAFER) workshop on campus on last Friday. The Yes Means Yes campaign, which SGA Chief of Staff, Rahimah Faiq, started, is one of the few initiatives on the Newark campus dedicated to combating rape culture and sexual violence. It is the only current campaign committed to reforming Rutgers University-Newark’s sexual violence laws, which currently stipulate that unless a person explicitly said “no”, another person has the right to engage him or her sexually.

“Yes Mean Yes differs from the No Means No campaign in that the former makes the choice of consent very clear,” Faiq told The Observer. “It reduces legal loopholes, creates a clearer image of what consent is, and redefines who has control in a sexual scenario. According to the No Means No policy, if a victim is too intoxicated to say ‘no’, his or her silence gives consent. Yes Means Yes instead demands explicit consent.”

The SGA’s Yes Means Yes campaign primarily seeks to reform disciplinary procedures and include an amnesty clause. When a victim is underage and intoxicated, they often shy away from reporting their assault or rape because they worry about the consequences they will face for breaking the law, according to Faiq. They carry the weight of their assault and trauma with them for years and most times, the crime goes unreported.

“We want to reform disciplinary procedures,” Faiq said. “As of now, there isn’t a clear disciplinary procedure for perpetrators.”

By inviting SAFER to host a campus workshop, Faiq hopes to start conversations on sexual violence. Many people are not aware that they are committing sexual violence and perpetuating rape culture, according to Faiq, and there isn’t a clear understanding of the law. In the future, Faiq hopes to host panels and university-wide conversations on what sexual violence is. She also wishes to create safe spaces for students to discuss taboo topics.

“People are very defensive when you talk about sexual assault,” Faiq said. “Students get confused and administrators get very defensive. Sex is a taboo topic and an uncomfortable conversation, and sexual violence is even more taboo and unsettling, but people need to think more progressively about it.”

Adaku Utah, the SAFER instructor who visited Rutgers University-Newark, emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces for students and discussions of sexual violence.

“Even the nurses and doctors who are supposed to be supportive and helpful to victims tend to create unsafe environments by unintentionally blaming the victim,” Utah said. “Unsafe spaces can potentially traumatize survivors, who are already traumatized.”

Utah explained that many people ask victims what they were wearing or doing at the time of their rape or assault, what time it was, and why they were walking alone or in a particular neighborhood, as opposed to asking them how they are coping. Although these questions are not always intended to be hurtful, Utah said, they are irrelevant and perpetuate rape culture and the victim blaming trend. These questions also attach a shame to sexual assault and rape and discourage future victims from reporting their assault.

Utah also encouraged the audience to challenge the gender roles they have been socialized to adopt because many of them encourage and perpetuate rape culture.

“Rape culture teaches that men are supposed be aggressive and forceful, which pushes them closer towards being perpetrators of rape and sexual violence without even knowing it,” Utah said. “And women are frequently blamed whenever they are raped or assaulted, and they are expected to be submissive and accepting, so they also don’t report the violations against them.”

Utah also spoke with students about the importance of accessibility to sexual assault health centers. She emphasized 24/7 accessibility and added that because Rutgers University-Newark has a large international community, the health center must also accommodate international students by providing foreign language communication options, for example.

Marie-Danielle Attis, the coordinator of the health promotion division and is in charge of peer education training, explained that students and faculty need to be more aware of what sexual assault and rape are. Attis explained that although she is a survivor of sexual violence, she was not aware of this at the time of her assaults.

“My story isn’t unique,” Attis told The Observer. “A lot of people usually aren’t aware that they are either victims or perpetrators.”

Attis advised administrators and professors to engage more closely with students and ensure that they are feeling safe.

“Administrators should treat students holistically,” Attis said. “Students are treated like learning vessels, but administrators and professors should ensure their students’ safety and feelings of safety.”

Feelings of security and safety are important, according to Attis, because a student who feels unsafe is not on the same playing level as a student who does feel safe. This affects their academic and social performance.

“It is our responsibility to teach and create a teachable environment,” said Attis.

Because Rutgers University was nominated by the White House to pilot a Sexual Assault

Climate Survey, Faiq hopes that the University will concede to student concerns and reform the rape and sexual assault policies and disciplinary procedures.

“This is the perfect time to pick up momentum,” Faiq said. “When Rutgers University adopts affirmative consent policies and reforms disciplinary measures, the SGA hopes to advocate for change within New Jersey state laws as well.”

Published by The Observer