As a new school year begins, with the excitement of being on campus and participating in more in-person events, students new to NIU are met with a bunch of information. Part of this information includes our Sexual Misconduct Awareness and Prevention training program.
Allison Hurlburt
Required by the state, this online training helps prepare students to navigate social and romantic situations that may be new to them. They will also learn what it means to be an active bystander and how to safely intervene when they see behaviors that could be harmful to others. Ultimately, new Huskies will come away with knowledge about sexual misconduct, the necessity of consent and resources available to all students.
Students have received a message in their NIU email accounts announcing that the module is available via Blackboard and must be completed before Oct. 15, 2021. Prevention Education and Outreach, part of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ADEI), is seeking support from across the university to encourage new students to take the training as early as possible in the semester.
“Many new Huskies are at their most vulnerable during the first few weeks of the semester, so we want to get this information into their hands as soon as possible,” said Allison Hurlburt, the program coordinator within Prevention Education and Outreach who oversees the training.
A great community partner of NIU is Safe Passage, DeKalb County’s domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center. Safe Passage services are free and confidential. They offer legal and medical advocacy, counseling and crisis services to the NIU community and the county. “The partnership with Safe Passage on advocacy services and prevention creates a relationship that benefits the NIU community. Safe Passage offers support and resources when students need it, no matter the time of day or when the abuse occurred.” Hurlburt mentions.
Prevention Education and Outreach also provide many other learning opportunities, with workshops, presentations and events throughout the school year. You can find and register for the events on the Prevention Education and Outreach calendar. The online module is required for new students to complete by Oct. 15, 2021, but Prevention Education and Outreach are encouraging students to take it as soon as possible as the resources will help students taking in person and virtual classes.
