Workshops, Groups, and Trainings

Sexual Violence Response

Sexual Violence Response offers a variety of workshops and trainings on topics that educate and teach skills or techniques necessary to address sexual or relationship assault.

Most workshops and trainings are open to all members of the Columbia community, including students, faculty, and staff. However, to maximize the information in each workshop, some sessions are designed specifically for students or faculty/staff only. Please review the description of each workshop or training carefully before requesting for a workshop.

Allies: Men’s Role and Responsibility in Preventing Violence against Women Workshop
For Students

This workshop explores how men can be allies with women in preventing violence against women. Participants explore what every day steps men can take to become part the solution in creating a safe and respectful campus culture.

Consent Workshop
For Students

This interactive and engaging workshop, designed by students for students, will introduce participants to a definition of consent based on clarity, mutuality and enthusiastic participation. Participants will discuss the ways in which gender role socialization and traditional expectations about sex and sexuality create barriers for open communication with intimate partners. Participants will brainstorm creative and comfortable ways of giving and obtaining clear consent.

Homophobia 101: Making the Connection Workshop
For Students, Faculty, and Staff

This is an introductory workshop that covers the basics of homophobia and heterosexism, starting with definitions and exploring misconceptions and stereotypes. Participants use personal experience to understand the effects of homophobia on the daily lives of LGBTQ people and to explore the connections between homophobia and other forms of oppression.

How to Help a Friend Workshop
For Students

A “first responder” training for students, How to Help a Friend will familiarize participants with common dynamics and effects of sexual assault. Participants will learn and practice concrete support strategies and become familiar with on campus support services, including adjudication and reporting options.

Inaction is Action: Understanding Bystanders Workshop
For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Bystanders are people who witness situations and don’t intervene because “it’s none of my business,” or because they assume that they cannot do anything to affect change. This interactive workshop engages student participants to explore how the everyday actions (or inactions) of bystanders can encourage or discourage sexual and relationship violence in their communities.

Relationship Violence 101 Workshop
For Students

This interactive workshop invites participants to discuss the prevalence, dynamics, and effects of relationship violence. Participants will become familiar with the cycle of violence, common forms of power and control, warning signs of abuse, and basic safety planning. Participants will also learn concrete supportive strategies for how to help a friend who is in an abusive relationship, and will become familiar with on-campus support services, including adjudication and reporting options.

Relationship Violence 201: Towards a Partnership Model Workshop
For Students, Faculty, and Staff

This workshop starts with the premise that we want to build healthy relationships not only with our intimate partners, but with the world around us. It explores the complexities of dominate-subordinate power relations by examining the intersection of gender, class, sexuality, and race. This workshop uses participants' experiences as well as current research and statistics as a foundation to understand relationship violence across sexual identities. This workshop also includes a look at what participants can do to build relationships on partnership principles.

Sexual Assault 101 Workshop
For Students, Faculty, and Staff

This interactive workshop invites participants to discuss the prevalence, dynamics, and effects of sexual assault. Common myths about sexual assault survivors and offenders will be addressed with accurate statistics and information. Participants will learn concrete supportive and risk reduction strategies, and become familiar with on-campus support services, including adjudication and reporting options.

Sexual Assault Policy and Disciplinary Procedure Training
For Students, Faculty, and Staff

This training will familiarize participants with the University policy on Sexual Assault, expected community standards of behavior and the Disciplinary Procedure for Sexual Assault. Participants have the opportunity to discuss definitions of consent, coercion, and sexual assault. Procedural steps of the adjudication process will be explained indepth, including how complaints are initiated rights, and responsibilities for complainants and respondents,   standards of evidence, and sanctioning procedures.

Talk 20: First Responder Training
For Faculty and Staff

The First Responder training provides administrators, faculty, and staff with concrete skills and strategies to respond to student disclosures of sexual assault. Participants will review the prevalence and common dynamics of sexual assault on campus and discuss common reactions to sexual assault. Participants will learn concrete supportive strategies and become familiar with on-campus support services, including adjudication and reporting options. This training is recommended for all staff and faculty with significant student contact.