Laurier marks Consent Action Week with educational events for students

Jan. 19, 2024

Consent Action Week returns to Wilfrid Laurier University Jan. 22 through Jan. 26 with educational events for students.

Held during the last week of January at universities across Ontario, Consent Action Weeks aims to create a dialogue about consent, pleasure and relationships, and sexual violence. Programming is designed to raise awareness among students about the critical role that consent and sexual communication skills play in the development of healthy relationships and in reducing sexual violence. Laurier is committed to fostering a culture of consent where gendered and sexual violence is not tolerated.

“Consent Action Week highlights the ongoing work at Laurier to build intersectional principles, skills and tools related to sexual communication, consent, taking accountability and boundaries,” says Sarah Scanlon, associate director of sexual violence response in the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management at Laurier. “We can’t create a culture of consent by shaming or telling students what not do to. Consent Action Week allows us to unpack and challenge many of the things we ‘know’ about sex, consent, healing, accountability and repair across our community.”

The following events are free and open to all Laurier students. Advanced registration may be required for some events.

Keynote Lecture: An Evening with Kai Cheng Thom

Jan. 25, 6 to 8 p.m. Advanced registration required.

Laurier welcomes Kai Cheng Thom, an author, educator, somatic coach and culture worker, for a reading from her latest book Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls. The reading will be followed by conversations about care, accountability, pleasure, joy and consent.

This event is hosted by the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management at Laurier in partnership with the University of Guelph, Huron University, McMaster University, Trent University, University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University.

Resource Fair: Art for Change

Jan. 22, 1 to 4 p.m., RCW Lobby (Brantford), Concourse (Waterloo)

Healing from Sexual Violence Group

Tuesdays from Jan. 23 to March 19, 2:30 to 4 p.m., online. Advance registration required.

This online, eight-week confidential group is open to Laurier students who identify as women, non-binary or gender non-conforming and are survivors of sexual violence. Some topics covered during the sessions include trauma and the brain, shame, self-compassion and acceptance, grief and betrayal, and intimacy after trauma. Sessions are facilitated by staff from the sexual violence response team at Laurier.

Workshop: When Your Friend Has Caused Harm

Jan. 24, noon to 1:30 p.m., Zoom. Advance registration required.

Using a case scenario, this workshop will educate participants on what to do if a friend has caused harm, potential next steps, how to address your feelings and ways to support survivors. The workshop is facilitated by a registered social worker and is offered as part of Laurier’s Sexual Violence Response Certificate.

Consent Education at Laurier

Laurier offers a range of in-person and online programming for students, staff and faculty to promote a culture of consent. Programming includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Sexual Violence Response Certificate: provided upon the completion of six of nine virtual workshops about building knowledge and skills to respond to disclosures and build solidarity for survivors.
• Curiosity Labs: a series of seven online workshops designed to explore topics including communication, boundaries, rejection, apologizing and handling conflict.
• Student wellness education workshops, including healthy relationships, resilience and conflict management.
• Bystander Training: self-paced, online training modules that address consent, gendered and sexual violence, responding to disclosures and bystander interventions, among other topics. The training is open to all Laurier students, faculty and staff on MyLearningSpace.
• Leveling Up Relationships: an online, interactive learning program to help students build more skills in their relationships. This program consists of seven modules that address tools and reflections to deepen relationship values. The program is required for all first-year students at Laurier.

Support is available to all members of the Laurier community who have been impacted by gendered or sexual violence, regardless of when or where the violence took place.

• Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention and Supports: 519.884.1970 x4847 or svinfo@wlu.ca
• 24-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Lines:
  • Waterloo: 519.741.8633
  • Brantford: 519.751.3471
• Emergency: 911
• Special Constable Service:
  • Waterloo: 519.885.3333 (external phones) or x3333 (on-campus phones)
  • Brantford: 519.770.3778 (external phones) or x3333 (on-campus phones)
• Employee and Family Assistance Program: Confidential support available to Laurier employees and their dependents (employee login required)