Red Zone Campaign

What is the Red Zone?

Post-secondary institutions across North America recognize the first 6-8 weeks of class as the Red Zone, a time in which approximately 50% of sexualized assaults occur and when first-year students are most at risk (Campus Sexual Assault Study, 2007; Matthew Kimble, Andrada Neacsiu, et al., 2008).

What's happening at TRU?

Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response (SVPR) will explore different Red Zone themes through an awareness-raising campaign from Sept. 1 to Oct. 12, 2024.

Through campus outreach and social media posts, SVPR and their ambassadors will share educational resources on consent, digital safety, safe partying, responding to disclosures, and being an active bystander. To finish the campaign, SVPR will host its annual "Deconstructing Student Life" movie night with TRU Student Life. This year's screening is the 2007 comedy Superbad.

Follow @trustudentlife to keep up with this year's events, posts, and stories throughout the six weeks.

Red Zone events

Week 1: Sunday, September 1, 2024

Introduction to the Red Zone

The first 6-8 weeks of the fall semester is known as the Red Zone, a time that post-secondary institutions across North America recognize as when approximately 50% of campus-based sexualized assaults occur. Students in their first year of university are most at risk. Throughout the Red Zone timeframe, Sexualized Violence Prevention & Response (SVPR) will raise awareness, promote services and supports, explore different themes, increase visibility, empower students through educational and social initiatives and foster connections. If you need support or information, please email [email protected] or in person at OM 1486.

Week 2: Sunday, September 8, 2024

Defining Sexualized Violence

“Sexualized violence.” or “violence” might conjure a strong image indicating a forceful physical act, but there are many different types of violence. Sexualized violence is any sexual act or acts targeting an individual’s sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression without the individual’s consent; this includes committed, threatened, or attempted acts of harassment, assault, stealthing, sharing images, and stalking.

If you’ve had an experience that gave you the ‘icks’ or supported someone through an incident - recently or in the past - that’s reason enough to connect with Sexualized Violence Prevention & Response. SVPR offers support, information, resources, a place to process, and a space to strategize.

Week 3: Sunday, September 15, 2024

Safer Partying for Consent Week

As Red Zone Awareness intersects with Consent Week, smart partying is top of mind. Consent isn’t just related to hooking up or having sex; it applies to alcohol consumption or substance use too. Don’t push anyone to party harder than they want to or know it’s okay to set a firm boundary about your plans for the night. Consent must be freely given without pressure or bullying - and can be withdrawn at any time.

• Plan a ride home
• Make sure your phone is fully charged (or pack a power back)
• Tell a friend if you’re going home with someone (and stay in touch)
• Be mindful of hydration and hunger
• Don’t overconsume; it’s not fun for you or anyone else
• If you’re engaging in substance use, go low and slow–use less and see how your body responds first
• Pack a naloxone kit
• Ask for consent openly and continuously; consent should be enthusiastic, voluntary and retractable

Week 4: Sunday, September 22, 2024

Navigating consent in the digital age

Dating apps provide wider access to a more diverse population of potential matches, so while there’s a promise of variety and convenience, there’s also a need for caution and accountability in how they are used. Online communication has anonymity rooted in its design. Engagement in online interactions can result in a lack of inhibition and accountability, creating conditions for trolling, catfishing, harassing, stalking and sharing of unwanted sexualized images. SVPR also plays a key role in supporting the ongoing implementation of TRU’s Sexualized Violence policy, which identifies online violence as violence. It’s not acceptable, and it can be reported and investigated.

Consent matters in digital spaces: how to protect yourself online:

• Set clear boundaries and expectations for the relationship; ask about and respect others’ boundaries
• Familiarize yourself with the safety features of any site or app you use
• Communicate with a trusted person when going out on a date (tell two people where you’re going and what time you expect)
• Be aware of the risks when communicating online: trolling, catfishing, the possibility of financial abuse via blackmail (for nudes) or people posing as vulnerable/in need
• Check if your potential partner has other social media accounts that match their dating profile
• Do not share sexual images that others shared with you
• Email [email protected] for nonjudgmental support

Week 5: Sunday, September 29, 2024

Bystander Intervention

Safety is a shared responsibility. Being an active bystander means recognizing different forms of abuse and sexualized violence and striving to build safer communities. They stand up for others, support those impacted by sexualized violence, and intervene safely and appropriately. Request a training session with Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response to learn more about bystander intervention strategies. [email protected] or take the new “Safer Campuses for Everyone” training on Moodle.

Week 6: Sunday, October 6, 2024

Responding to Disclosures

If a friend or classmate shares their experience of sexualized violence with you, it's called a “disclosure.” Disclosing does not have to lead to a formal report with the university. Responding to a disclosure can seem intimidating, but all you need to do is:

• Listen
• Believe
• Empower

How you respond matters. Don’t push someone to take immediate action or ask invasive questions; just hold space for them to process whatever they need. Provide tissues, blankets, and a warm drink. Encourage them to connect with SVPR so that they can explore their options for support on campus and in the community. To learn how to support survivors, connect with Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response online via [email protected] or in person at OM 1486.

Help is available

The Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response office delivers educational opportunities to members of the campus community, supports the ongoing implementation of BRD 25-0 and provides direct support to victims/survivors of sexualized and intimate partner violence. Support is available to all faculty, staff and students. Whether the experience is historical or recent, a wide variety of supports are available:

• Emotional support and safety planning
• Academic accommodations and emergency housing
• Information about reporting options
• Support through reporting processes if desired
• Connection to campus and community resources
• Support to those providing care to victim/survivors

Book an appointment

We are a hybrid office. Feel free to stop by in Old Main 1486. Virtual appointments are also available for both Kamloops and Williams Lake students, staff and faculty. To schedule your appointment, send email to [email protected] or call 250-828-5023. You are welcome to bring a support person to any meeting.