By Kira Córdova
Oct. 23 to 26, the Student Wellness Department is teaming up with Residence Life, Adam & Eve, Gunnison County, Psychology Club, Project Hope, and Western’s Center for Civil Rights to bring a week full of sex and relationship education events to campus.
On Monday Oct 23., to highlight stigma and victim blaming, Mountaineer student Gissely Rodriguez is compiling an exhibit of outfits survivors of sexual assault were wearing to display in the University Center (UC).
Katie Thomas, the director of community engagement and outreach for Project Hope, a local non-profit that helps survivors of domestic and dating violence and sexual assault in the Gunnison Valley through advocacy, therapy, housing and other services, says the event’s name stems from a common form of victim blaming: “it’s ‘what were you wearing?’ Because that’s the first question asked when someone comes forward about being sexually assaulted.”
You can find the exhibit outside of the Rare Air Cafe (RAC). Can’t make it on Oct. 23? No worries! The exhibit will stay up through Oct. 30.
On Tuesday, Western will host sex comedian Cindy Pierce in the UC South Ballroom during common hour (12:30-2 p.m.). Come by to laugh and learn!
Then, on Wednesday, the Psychology Club will host sex trivia at Mad Jack’s (for prizes donated by adult toy and lingerie company Adam & Eve).
On Thursday, students are invited to “Sex in the Dark” to wrap up the week, an anonymous Q and A (literally taking place in the dark) with a panel of experts including a sex therapist, a sexual assault nurse examiner, a progressive religious community leader, a representative for folks with disabilities, a representative from the LGBTQ+ community, an advocate from Project Hope, and a representative from Western’s Title IX office.
Precious Allen, Western’s own Ute resident director, will emcee.
Don’t feel comfortable asking something? To make sure everyone can get their questions addressed, you can submit a question for the panel to answer through the QR code below:
We hope to see you there!
