A student working in the Division of Student Affairs is spending the summer enhancing the sexual violence awareness and bystander intervention programs. 

For the first time, the sexual violence awareness and bystander intervention coordinator is working full-time leading up to the academic year to enhance the program’s focus, particularly addressing the intersection of sexual violence with discrimination and harassment, as well as the intersection of sexual violence with multiple identities. 

“We are looking forward to expanding this student-led program,” says Corinna Fitzgerald, Assistant Dean, Student Life and Learning. “It has been very successful, with more than 2,500 students trained to safely intervene to help prevent sexual violence. Over the summer, we will be working to improve the current session, incorporating a more intersectional lens, as well as develop a booster session and new train-the-trainer model.”

Lea Keren is the 2017-18 coordinator, taking over from Claire Gummo, who is heading to Oxford in the fall on a Rhodes Scholarship. 

Ms. Keren is one of eight students who have been delivering the training to peers over the past year. She is a fifth-year commerce student and the past AMS Social Issues Commissioner. She has also been involved with the AMS Peer Support Centre, and AuthenticallyU – a club that advocates for equity on campus regarding issues of gender diversity, racism, social justice, and mental health. 

Next year's team of student facilitators has been hired, and will be trained in August before facilitating sessions for Orientation Week leaders and other student leaders.

Over the coming months, Ms. Keren will also be supporting the coordination of year-long sexual violence prevention initiatives across the Division of Student Affairs.

“This training has the ability to significantly change the culture surrounding sexual violence at Queen’s,” says Ms. Keren. "I’m so excited to be a part of such an important shift.”

More information about the Sexual Violence Bystander Intervention program  and information and resources relating to Sexual Violence: Assault, Abuse and Harassment are available online.