Educating yourself about sexual assault and understanding the meaning of consent are the key messages of the MSU No Excuse for Sexual Assault Campaign.
Paulette Granberry Russell, senior adviser to the president for diversity and director of the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, said the campaign helps the campus community better understand what constitutes sexual assault and provides ways to prevent and respond to it.
The campaign identifies campus resources in the event of an incident involving a student or other member of the campus community.
“Often times in these circumstances, the issues of alcohol and drugs may impact the circumstances under which consent may be freely given or where it is not, and I think particularly today that’s a grey area for students,” Granberry Russell said.
One of the campaign’s goals is to inform students to recognize a potentially harmful situation.
“I think it’s also important for us to be proactive so students understand when they can intervene as a bystander and say, ‘You know what, it’s time for me to step in and help my friend; it’s time for me to step in and help someone that I may not know, because as I’m looking at these circumstances, this could go wrong,’” Granberry Russell said.
Granberry Russell said the impact of a sexual assault is immediate but also lives with the victim for the rest of their lives.
To learn more about the No Excuse for Sexual Assault Campaign, visit the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives website.