Sexual Violence Awareness Week

Brescia is Canada’s only women’s University, so it works hard to recognize and promote discussion of women’s issues. Sexual violence affects women particularly, and Brescia makes an effort each year to do its part to combat this deeply harmful social issue. Last week, the BUCSC hosted information booths to help educate students as part of Sexual Violence Awareness week.

As an awareness week, each event was dedicated to information. Monday began the week with the Help a Friend event, dedicated to helping recognition of harmful relationships loved ones may be in, and how to help. Tuesday’s event was all about consent, its importance, and how it works. The final event of the week took place on Thursday, with the Personal Promise event, where visitors to the booth had the opportunity to make a promise to themselves to do right by themselves and others in their relationships. Throughout the week, the booth was filled with informative pamphlets from ANOVA, a local organization in London who partners with Women’s Community House and the Sexual Assault Center of London. ANOVA has a long-standing relationship with Brescia, and the BUCSC was proud to work with them to make last week effective and informative.

Thursday’s booth event was part of a larger day of sexual violence awareness that Brescia recognized. Many students and faculty members wore purple on campus  on Thursday, in recognition of the Shine the Light on Woman Abuse campaign, by the London Abused Women’s Center. The campaign originates from London, but has become international in the past year. Brescia In particular celebrated by lighting Ursuline Hall in purple on Thursday evening as a gesture of solidarity with the affected women in the London community and around the world.

Brescia takes its role as a women’s University seriously, and its participation of the Shine the Light campaign reaffirms its support for women, especially those affected by sexual violence. The BUCSC served its students last week by offering resources and educating about sexual violence during its sexual violence awareness week.