New University students are constantly reminded of norms — it is not campus, it is Grounds; you are not a freshman, you are a first year, and the list goes on. This year, a group of University students is trying to create a new norm — a norm against sexual assault.
This program, Dorm Norms, is designed to introduce the topic of sexual assault to first years on a peer-to-peer level. The program is a collaboration between two sexual assault prevention groups, One in Four and One Less.
“The collaboration on this project made a lot of sense, because the goal was really to craft norms across a whole incoming class and we recognize that we can’t do that if we only work along one gender line,” One in Four President Nick Favaloro, a third-year College student, said. “I think both groups see this as an issue of mutual respect first, and that transcends the idea of gender.”
As students become acclimated to the college environment in the early fall, the risk for sexual assault significantly increases. To combat this high risk, Dorm Norms presenters have begun giving talks to some of the first-year halls and will continue presenting throughout the next two weeks.
“We wanted to get out and have these really important conversations about bystander intervention and survivor support now, so that students are equipped to step in when they see dangerous situations over the coming weeks and months,” One in Four presenter Russell Bogue, a fourth-year College student, said.
While students hear a plethora of sexual assault information during orientation and their first few weeks of school, Dorm Norms presenters feel their program has a unique, peer-to-peer aspect.
“A lot of research also shows that it is more effective to have men talk to other men,” One Less presenter Liamarie Quinde, a fourth-year Batten student, said. “It’s also sometimes easier to have a peer talking to you, so we thought it would be better to have girls talk to girls and guys talk to guys.”
The Dorm Norms program is also unique because presentations are delivered inside dorms.
“We’re going to their homes. We’re going right to the heart of the issue — they’re not filing into JPJ to hear these talks,” Favaloro said. “We’re talking to them right where they live and that is incredibly important…Our presentations talk about the values that you’d want to bring to your home.”
The presentations are tailored to give first years a more concrete grasp on concepts, such as bystander intervention. Presenters accomplish this by making much of their program scenario-based.
“The purpose of these ‘what if’ situations is to turn them into concrete solutions,” Bogue said. “It looks like talking to a friend and saying, ‘Is that situation okay, is she ok with that?’ It looks like spilling your drink to create a distraction. It can look like any specific behavior you feel comfortable doing.”
Presenters also discuss reasons why bystanders choose not to intervene and solutions to combat such issues.
“One of the things we talked about was, as a first year, sometimes you really don't know what’s going on,” Quinde said. “A student may be older than you and the whole concept of ‘Oh, I may lose some social capital if I step in’ comes into play. We hope that after these presentations, [students] will choose to intervene anyway.”
While last year was a particularly difficult year for the University, the hardships were also the impetus for this initiative.
Instead of reflecting on the terrible things that have happened at the University, U.Va. will actually become a leader in this issue, Bogue said.
While sexual assault is a serious issue on college campuses across the nation, Dorm Norms presenters hope these presentations will slowly change the Univeristy climate and inspire students to act.
“In four years there will be a completely new class of undergraduates…It’s an easy place to make culture shifts,” Favaloro said. “We’re on a multiple-year commitment to setting norms.”
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