ASUI advocates for an enthusiastic ‘yes’
Sexual assault prevention can be a heavy topic, making it easy to forget sex has the potential to be a very positive and fun experience, said ASUI Director of Safety and Violence Prevention Sara Spritzer.
“Consent is sexy,” is the tagline of the new Enthusiastic Consent Campaign that ASUI will launch Feb. 17. The tagline keeps the discussion lighthearted, Spritzer said.
“(It’s) a fun way to educate students about this issue,” Spritzer said. “If you don’t have consent from someone, technically that could be sexual assault. This campaign will bring a lot more light to the issue.”
At the ASUI Senate meeting Wednesday night, a bill allocating funds to the campaign went to committee. The bill, authored by ASUI Vice President Sarah Vetsmany, requests $250 from the ASUI budget to go toward promotional materials for the campaign. If passed in committee, the bill will go to a vote next week.
Vetsmany, who has spearheaded sexual assault prevention during her term, said while most students understand what consent is, the exact definition is vague, and the Enthusiastic Consent Campaign seeks to address those inconsistencies.
“You could probably go out and ask 10 different students what consent is, and no two definitions will be the same,” Vetsmany said. “The campaign will essentially work to demonstrate these sticky situations for students and show them this is right and this is wrong.”
Vetsmany said the definition of consent is often hazy, because sex is sometimes an uncomfortable topic for open discourse, and it’s awkward to talk about openly.
Even Vetsmany and Spritzer had slight variations in their definitions. Spritzer said consent is an enthusiastic, sober yes, while Vetsmany had a slightly different take.
“It’s a non-coerced, verbal yes in any sort of transaction between people,” Vetsmany said.
Both women said they recognize sexual assault as an issue at the University of Idaho. Spritzer, a survivor of sexual violence herself, said as former president of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, she had many friends confide in her their negative experiences. Vetsmany also said she has had numerous people in her life, both male and female, admit they had been victims of sexual violence during their time on campus.
“I think to myself, ‘What can I do to make sure this never happens again?'” Vetsmany said. “‘How can I ensure students never have to go through that physical and mental hardship ever again?'”
Spritzer, who is in her second year as director of safety and violence prevention, agreed if she could help just a few students with campaigns like Green Dot, she would graduate knowing she accomplished something.
“To have interpersonal connections and to know there are resources on campus shouldn’t be such an issue that’s flipped under the rug,” Spritzer said. “It happens — I think that’s why I’m so passionate about it.”
Few would argue Spritzer and Vetsmany haven’t championed their devotion to preventing sexual assault during their time on campus. Although both women graduate in May, they said they’re not worried about their legacy leaving with them.
“It’s carried on and really sustained, and I hope that other students are inspired,” Vetsmany said. “The students we’ve worked with, both within student government and outside student government, are remarkable, and I really see them innovating these ideas and taking them beyond the heights we’ve already reached.”
Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected]