Consent Action Week 2024
What is Consent Action Week?
Consent Action Week is an educational initiative created by the Ontario University Sexual Violence Network held during the last week of January at universities across Ontario. During January 22-26, 2024 the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Support and Education Centre, the S.A.F.E. (Sexual Assault Free Environment) Peer Team and on and off-campus partners will be hosting Consent Action Week; an opportunity for the University of Guelph campus community to create a dialogue about consent, pleasure, relationships and increase understanding of sexual and gender-based violence. This week is also an opportunity to raise awareness of both on and off-campus services and to engage staff, faculty and students in programming and events centred around healing, prevention and advocacy.
Events:
Monday, January 22, 2024: Consent and Connections Resource Fair
Knowing the range of options for resources and support can help survivors connect with supports that best meet their needs. Students, staff and faculty are invited to attend the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Resource Fair to learn more the many amazing on-campus and community-based supports and resources available. Those who attend will have the opportunity to enter a gift card giveaway!
Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: UC Courtyard
Registration: No registration required.
Monday, January 22, 2024: A Conversation About Building Communities of Care in Engineering
Have you ever witnessed your friends or classmates being disrespected and not known how to intervene? As part of Consent Action Week 2024, join the Engineering Society and the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Support and Education Centre for a conversation about how we can expeand our skills to disrupt harm and work together to build a culture in engineering that prioritizes respect, consent and inclusivity.
Time: 6:30-8:00pm
Location: RICH 3504
Registration: No registration required. Sign up for a reminder about this event.
Tuesday, January 23, 2024: Restorative Justice for Sexual Harm: Why I Fought for a Circle, Not a Courtroom (Keynote) with Marlee Liss
In 2019, Marlee's sexual assault case became the first in North America to conclude with restorative justice through the courts. She fought for the man who raped her to go to therapy instead of criminal trial and eventually, they met in an 8-hour restorative circle. After sharing with the media, her inbox began filling with thousands of messages from survivors sharing their stories and why they wish they had known about alternatives to the punitive system, like restorative justice.
Marlee takes a vulnerable and educational approach to talking about this alternative to the punitive system. The focus throughout the program is to inspire folks to create a vision of justice that is synonymous with healing through informative storytelling. In an environment rooted in hope and empowerment, listeners learn about this justice pathway that breaks cycles of harm and ignites cycles of healing.
About Marlee Liss: Marlee Liss (she/her) is a somatic educator, social worker, author and lesbian Jewish feminist. She made history in the justice system when her sexual assault case became the 1st in North America to conclude with restorative justice through the courts. Since then, she has supported thousands in learning trauma-informed pleasure and inclusive consent education. Marlee's work has been featured in Forbes, Huff Post, Buzzfeed, the Mel Robbins Show and more. As an award-winning speaker, she's delivered talks for: National Sexual Assault Conference, Vanderbilt University, University of Toronto, Trauma & Recovery Conference, Women's Mental Health Conference at Yale and more. Marlee was 1 of 25 survivors on an elite panel for the National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence informing federal policy and her story is currently being made into a documentary directed by Kelsey Darragh.
Time: 5:00-6:00pm
Location: Hybrid - In-person in Room 442, University Centre and Virtually via Microsoft Teams
Registration: Register to attend. Open to all UofG students, staff, faculty and community members.
Wednesday, January 24, 2024: Let's Chat About Consent: Graduate Student Research Panel
On Wednesday, January 24th at 5:30pm, join the S.A.F.E. (Sexual Assault Free Environment) team in the Lookout Grad Lounge for an engaging discussion on building a culture of consent on campus with University of Guelph graduate students studying consent, sexual and gender-based violence, and related topics. Come enjoy a cup of tea, a snack, and lively conversation! All are welcome.
Time: 5:30-6:30pm
Location: The Lookout (5th Floor or the University Centre)
Registration: No registration required. Sign up for a reminder about this event.
Thursday, January 25, 2024: Consent Action Week: Restorative Reading with Kai Cheng Thom
How are you building-up a culture of consent in your community? Take action this week by registering to join this free, virtual Consent Action Week event.
Author and educator Kai Cheng Thom will be joining us on Thursday, January 25th, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. E.T. This poetic reading and author chat will be a chance for students, staff, and faculty across all of the organizing institutions to discuss care, pleasure, joy, and consent on our campuses and beyond. AND when you join the session and fill our evaluation form, you'll be entered into a draw to win one of multiple book prize packs!
About Kai Cheng Thom: Kai Cheng Thom, MSW, MSc, is a certified Somatic Sex Educator, Qualified Mediator, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Professional Coach based in tkaronto/Toronto. She is also the author of six award-winning books in various gendres. Kai Cheng's work focuses on the intersection of social justice, pleasure activism, and transformative approaches to healing conflict. A noted speaker and practitioner of wellness, healing, and group facilitation, Kai Cheng supports individuals and groups who are seeking to repair relationships and make transformative change. She also teaches as Adjunct Faculty at the Institute for the Study of Somatic Sex Education.
We're excited to be hosting this event in partnership with the University of Toronto, Huron University, McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Wilfred Laurier University.
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Location: Virtual
Registration: Register to attend. Open to students, staff and faculty at participating institutions.
