Sexual Assault Awareness Month

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This year's Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Take Back the Night is hosted by REPS focused on four main themes:

EXPRESSION

HEALING

GROWTH

CONNECTION

Schedule of Events: 

Week of April 3rd -  EXPRESSION

  • Take Back the Night: Silent Disco with ASUSF Wednesday, April 5 |  6-7 p.m. |  Privett Plaza | Register here 

    Take Back the Night: Silent Disco co-hosted by ASUSF and REPS invites all campus community members to move their bodies to an empowerment-focused playlist and reclaim the night and campus space. Take Back the Night was started in the 1970s in marches held at night across the world from San Francisco, to Philadelphia to Sweden, to England. By bringing this silent disco rendition of the march to USF, we recognize the importance of moving throughout campus in unison to support survivors.
  • REPS Advocate Training | Thursday,  April 6 |  10-11:30 a.m. |  Register for the zoom here

    Recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and become a REPS Advocate this spring! Faculty/Staff can become a REPS Advocate by attending one of our 90-minute sessions this academic year with our Deputy Title IX Coordinator to receive additional training as mandatory reporters on responding to disclosures of sexual misconduct, intervention techniques, and creating a climate of respect at USF.

Week of April 10th -  HEALING

  • Survivor Love Letter Writing hosted by Gleeson Library | Wednesday, April 12 |  11:00 a.m. -  1:00 p.m. |  Gleeson Library

    Join the Gleeson Library for this year's service component of Sexual Assault Awareness Month on the second floor of the library with Survivor Love Letter Writing.  "Survivor Love Letter is a movement for survivors of sexual assault and their allies to publicly celebrate their lives. It was started by filmmaker and activist, Tani Ikeda in 2012 on the anniversary of her sexual assault where she penned a letter to her younger self that ended with the words: “this is my survivor love letter.”"

    Come craft, collage, sticker, glue, write, paint, and create a letter to a survivor, to be displayed around the library and read at our Speak Out. All letters are anonymous.
  • Sexual Assault Interfaith Healing Space with University MinistryThursday, April 13 |  12 p.m. - 1 p.m. |  Thacher Galler | 

    Join University Ministry's Interfaith and Social Justice teams for a vigil for healing. Drawing on prayer, scripture, and meditation from several faith traditions, this will be a time for survivors of sexual assault and allies to be seen and supported in a spiritual setting. 
  • Rest & Restore Yoga as Healing  Friday, April 14 |  4:00-  5:15 p.m. |  Fromm Hall Lounge |  Register here 

    "We must stand and lay firmly in the space of creating a life filled with rest and radical care," Trica Hersey, Rest is Resistance, A Manifesto

    Seven spots are available. We invite you to join our 75 min rest and restore afternoon session on Friday, as a way to prioritize your healing and care. Restorative yoga session with all props provided. No prior yoga experience is necessary- comfy & warm clothes are encouraged. Offered again on April 28th. 

Week of April 17 -  GROWTH

  • Writing on Trauma Workshop with Sydney Vogl M.F.A '21 | Tuesday, April 18 | 5 - 6:30 p.m. | Gleeson Library Electronic Classroom. Register here

    25 spots are available for an in-depth writing workshop led by USF's own creative writing alumnus Sydney Vogl (She/they). This session will cover techniques and tips for writing about traumatic experiences and allow space for students to write in the community with one another. Join for good conversation, intentional writing time, and a strong community. Sydney Vogl recently won the Cow Creek Chapbook Prize for their chapbook, CRYBABY! (February 2023, Emerald City Press). In 2021, they won the Jane Underwood Poetry prize and the AWP Intros Journal Award. Their work has been featured in or is forthcoming in Iron Horse Review, Honey Literary, Tusculum Review, and Ghost City Review. She currently serves as a poetry editor for The San Franciscan Magazine and works at an independent publisher in Berkeley. Their debut chapbook, CALIFORNIA IS GOING TO HELL, was released in November 2021. 
  • Rethinking Drinking Safety Fair hosted by HPS | Wednesday, April 19  | 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | UC 1st Floor 

    Attend the Rethinking Drinking Safety Fair and meet with USF offices and off-campus partners to learn about the effects of alcohol and how it affects your health and behaviors. Pick up responsible drinking tips and upstander (active bystander) behavior strategies that will keep you and our campus community safe. There will be many fun activities, such as party hosting 101, alcohol simulations with impairment goggles, a photo booth, and much more.
  • Rethinking Drinking: Happy Hour Edition hosted by REPS & HPS | Wednesday, April 19  | 4:30  - 6 30 p.m.  | Koret Lodge |  Register Here

    Join Health Promotion Services and REPS for Rethinking  Drinking Day: Happy Hour Edition! This event aims to promote safe and healthy drinking both on and off campus while being inclusive of folks who do not drink, for any reason, or folks who have had past experiences of sexual misconduct. This will be an event for people who want a fun and carefree atmosphere without compromising safety and sobriety. We will have trivia, giveaways, and mocktail demonstrations in Koret Lodge to learn more about reimaging happy hour, safe consumption, and creating safer campus culture. Join us for some music, merriment, and fun. Open to ALL students. 
  • Empowerment Self Defense 101 hosted with Koret Thursday, April 20 |  6-7 p.m. |  McClaren 251  |  Register here

    50 spots are available for a self-defense workshop, you will learn about situational awareness, space management,  basic concepts, and leverages in a safe and controlled environment. This class is open to undergraduate and graduate students of all gender identities. This session is taught by Maggie Mai. Maggie Mai is a San Francisco native, and a martial arts and self-defense instructor with over 16  years of experience. She holds a black belt in Hapkido, a purple belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu, and has competed in numerous martial arts competitions. She is trained in Women Empowered, a Gracie Brazilain jiu-jitsu self-defense program tailored towards women.
  • Lyricist Lounge hosted by Cultural Centers  Friday, April 21 |  6 - 9 p.m. |  UC 4 Lounge  | 

    Join Lyricist Lounge with more info here. During break time and after the event interact with a SAAM focused board that focuses on one main question: "What does a campus without sexual violence look and feel like?  Write a message of hope for the future."
  • Movie on the Green hosted with SAAC, Dons Athletics, and PACSW |  Friday, April 21 |  7:30 - 9:30 p.m. |   Bendetti Diamond | Register here

    Register now for USF's first outdoor movie event in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month! Located on the USF Athletics Field, this is a perfect opportunity to grab a blanket, bundle up with your friends, enjoy some popcorn and watch a great movie that touches on topics discussed in Title IX / REPS to think about survivorship, healing, and the power of friendship in creating community support. We will screen the iconic Perks of Being a Wallflower movie. Join us!

Week of April 24th - CONNECTION

  • REPS Monthly Student Summit  | Tuesday, April 25 |  11:45 a.m. - 12:45p.m. |  UC 503 

    All are welcome. This will be a monthly meeting hosted by the Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Trina Garry, ASUSF Title IX/REPS Senators, and student members of the REPS Committee focused on brainstorming, planning, and discussing sexual violence prevention and consent education ideas on campus and to talk with other interested, and passionate students. There will be treats!

  • Denim Day  Wednesday, April 26 |  All Day  |  Tabling Fair on Privett Plaza from 11:30-1pm 

    Wear jeans with a purpose and join the USF campus community in standing up to sexual violence, on National Denim Day. Denim Day was started in 1990 in Italy as a protest against the sexual assault of an 18-year-old woman. To participate please post a photo with your denim on Instagram and tag @usfcaREPS with the caption "I wear denim because..." or even get a group and start a conversation on your community values, and share "We wear denim because..." 
  • Mindful Movement hosted by University Ministry and HPS | Wednesday, April 26 |  12- 1 p.m. | UC 1 |  Register here. 

    Rejuvenate yourself by joining us for a Mindful Movement Retreat organized by the University Ministry and the Health Promotion Services on Wednesday, 26th April from 12 pm - 1 pm at the Gleeson Plaza/lawn. Mindful Movement is designed to raise awareness of your body-mind connection. You will be guided through various exercises to strengthen your deep postural muscles, improve core strength, and ways to coordinate your breathing and movement together. Free snacks are available and raffle prizes are to be won!! 
  • SPEAK OUT | Thursday, April 27 | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Kalmanovitz Amphitheater | Submit an anonymous story here

    Culminate Sexual Assault Awareness Month with our Take Back the Night Speak Out. Join REPS and our co-sponsors to hear survivor stories or share your own, and stand in solidarity with one another to prevent sexual assault on campus. 

  • Rest & Restore Yoga as Healing | Thursday,  April 27 | 3:00-  4:15 p.m. |  Fromm Hall Lounge  | Register here 

    "We must stand and lay firmly in the space of creating a life filled with rest and radical care," Trica Hersey, Rest is Resistance, A Manifesto

    Seven spots are available. We invite you to join our 75 min rest and restore afternoon session on Friday, as a way to prioritize your healing and care. Restorative yoga session with all props provided. No prior yoga experience is necessary- comfy & warm clothes are encouraged. 

  • Decompression Space hosted by CAPS | Thursday, April 27 | 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. | Gender and Sexuality Center UC 413

    Join our decompression space together after the Speak Out or instead of Speak Out to enjoy snacks and tea with CAPS counselors. 
  • REPS Advocate Training  Friday, April 28 |  12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. |  Register for the zoom here

    Recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and become a REPS Advocate this spring! Faculty/Staff can become a REPS Advocate by attending one of our 90-minute sessions this academic year with our Deputy Title IX Coordinator to receive additional training as mandatory reporters on responding to disclosures of sexual misconduct, intervention techniques, and creating a climate of respect at USF. 

Co-Sponsors: