Peer mentorship part of MacEwan University's fight against sexual violence
Initiative will focus on students teaching students about consent, healthy relationships
A new program aimed at preventing sexual violence at MacEwan University will focus on peer education and mentorship.
The MacEwan Anti-Violence Education Network, or MAVEN, aims to train a group of students, who will then educate their peers on sexual violence.
"Peer education is shown to be a really effective strategy for preventing sexual violence and promoting healthy relationships and positive sexuality," said Roxanne Runyon, the university's sexual violence prevention and education co-ordinator.
Students volunteering with the program will complete more than 40 hours of training before becoming a MAVEN peer educator. They're also expected to commit to up to 15 hours per month to help facilitate sexual violence awareness workshops.
The volunteers also benefit from the program, Runyon said.
"It's a really great opportunity to cultivate student leadership."
This type of education is sorely needed in universities, but also in society in general, Runyon said.
"Looking across at all of post-secondary institutions and across our country and across our world, sexual violence continues to be pervasive," she said.
A 2017 study by MacEwan University professor Sandy Jung found in 37 per cent of cases of sexual assault reported to Edmonton police between 2010 and 2014, the accused was not known to the victim.
"There's really that need to create a cultural shift both on our campus but across our society," she said.
Students really have their fingers on the pulse of their community and of their peers and are able to tap into that and create change.- Roxanne Runyon
MacEwan's program has learned from similar programs at universities across Canada, including the University of Alberta, Runyon said
"We've really had a chance to learn from our colleagues and not to start from scratch," she said.
The program is accepting volunteers who are MacEwan students until April 30.