Over the past semester, students have worked incredibly hard to establish a sex education house on campus. The house is intended to “create an environment where students can come to learn about sexual health, and fill in the gap from their previous sexual knowledge.” They intend to provide educational resources as well as to host informational events about safe, consensual sex. The creation of this house is an important first step towards the College honoring its agreements related to Title IX violations but it is important that we continue to work towards the specific accommodations agreed to in the Galpin Call-in conditions.
The sexual education house had its origin in Section 3 Article 8 of the Call-in agreement. The house would be the base for an on-call student response group to assist survivors of sexual misconduct. The house itself would be a safe space for survivors of sexual misconduct and a social alternative to more stressful spaces on campus. The house would also be provided with two cell phones so its residents could act as a hotline for students to seek support before, during or after an act of sexual violence. Under Article 8.12, students that would live in the house would receive training so that they could properly serve survivors.
The creation of the survivor advocacy house faces a series of bureaucratic hurdles. A large concern from administration is if a student provides misinformation and something goes awry, the school can be held liable. Although it is a valid concern, the solution is to provide sufficient trainings to members of the house, not to stand in the way of the program’s creation. To be clear, the students that are living in the house are not counselors and cannot give professional advice. The survivor advocacy house was also intended as a safe gathering space for people who wanted to unwind in a welcoming community. Unfortunately, according to Title IX policy, the survivor advocacy house could not ask any respondent to a sexual misconduct case to leave.
For now, a true survivor advocacy house cannot exist without breaking multiple campus policies. However, this should not be and cannot be the end of the discussion. The Call-in was conducted because the established policies were failing the student body. Members of the student body protested because the policies needed change.
Members of the sex education house have done an amazing job creating next year’s sex education house. I have no doubt that their programming and the community they build around it will do amazing things for the campus climate. It is important to remember, though, that what the campus needs and what was agreed to after the Call-in was a comprehensive survivor support network and safe space. The members of the house have indicated that they are passionate about survivor advocacy and will continue developing the policy of the sex education house more toward survivor support in the following years. What the house needs now is for members of the campus community to step up. By attending events that the house puts on next year as well as staying aware of Galpin Call-in promises and progress, you can contribute to making Wooster a better school.
Henry Mai, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment at HMai20@wooster.edu.