Isa Riano, Contributing Writer
By Feb. 28, 2022, Saint Leo University required all students living on campus to complete mandatory sexual harassment training.
The training was designed to ensure that people feel comfortable speaking up if they are subjected to stalking, dating violence, or sexual harassment.
“Our goal is for our students to gain valuable knowledge that will give them the confidence to face challenges associated with sexual and interpersonal violence,” said Vanessa O’Connell, the Title IX coordinator.
Title IX is in the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and states that no person in the United States should be discriminated against based on sex.
Several students have expressed their agreement that, while sexual harassment is a sensitive subject, it is good to do this mandatory training to ensure that no one who encounters a difficult situation is left behind.
“While it is unlikely to occur at this university, teachers may occasionally take advantage of students,” said Arthur Sodermark, a junior majoring in computer science and cybersecurity.
“I like that this training is being made mandatory because if students find it difficult to speak up in these situations, they will be aware of all the resources available to them,” he added.
Saint Leo University’s Green Dot program taught students about green flags in relationships in the summer of 2021 (retrieved from @greendotleo)
Students can still complete the training as it is available online.
“It was critical that we provide this information in a setting that is convenient and easily accessible to our students,” said O’Connell.
The training was made mandatory only for on-campus students because they are more likely to encounter these problematic situations.
“Statistically, sexual assault on college campuses is a common problem that typically goes unreported,” said O’Connell.
Yet, some students are unsure what to think about the training.
“I am not sure if it truly promotes a safer campus,” said William Sammet, a freshman majoring in criminal justice. “I have not heard of such claims.”
The Campus Advocacy, Resources, and Education (CARE) and Green Dot programs aim to reach out to students in various ways, mainly if they are skeptical that the training will impact the university.
“When researching options to provide to our community, our CARE Project Director, Noemi Reyes, is heavily involved to ensure that the messages that our students are receiving are consistent,” said O’Connell.
Additionally, O’Connell said, “CARE, Green Dot, and Title IX collaborate closely to provide our community with preventative education using trauma-informed approaches, and we will continue to offer preventative programming.”
The CARE and Green Dot Programs expand their missions by utilizing their resources most efficiently.
“Our university is one of only a few institutions to receive a grant from the Office of Violence Against Women,” said O’Connell. “We hope to provide comprehensive prevention to our student populations through this grant.”
Students can contact O’Connell via email at vanessa.oconnell@email.saintleo.edu with any questions they have or if they would like to learn more about resources related to avoiding sexual assault and dating violence.
