University Health Center peer education groups assemble to promote safety during spring break

By Zane Moses

For The Diamondback

Four University Health Center peer education groups combined efforts Wednesday to teach others about preventing sexual assault and other dangerous situations that could arise over spring break.

The peer education groups CARE to Stop Violence, SHARE, HEALTH Works and CHOICES were present, encouraging students to visit their booths on Hornbake Plaza and learn about what to do if dangerous situations arise.

“Our four peer groups here are talking about how to step up before, during and after spring break, and we are trying to teach our campus community different active bystander skills,” said Jenna Beckwith Messman, the health center’s sexual health program coordinator.

The groups presented hypothetical situations to passersby, such as what to do if a student passes out on McKeldin Mall or when to intervene when a friend is being pressured to participate in a drinking game, she said. Situations like sexual assault and alcohol overdoses can often happen around large groups of people, and it benefits students to be able to prevent them.

“We want to provide tools and resources to all students on campus so that they feel more comfortable and prepared to intervene in those situations,” Messman said.

The event was held before spring break because these situations can occur more frequently over break, said CARE to Stop Violence representative Olivia Braley, a sophomore English and Spanish major.

“Lots of people use spring break to relax and have fun, but sometimes that can include drinking and drugs,” Braley said. “We understand that that happens, but we want to be proactive in preventing and understanding dangerous situations.”

The event’s target audience was students looking for spring break party destinations, said Clara Ehrman, a senior psychology major and public health student representing Helping Establish a Lifestyle That Works, or HEALTH Works. But she also said it is important for the entire student body to be educated about these issues.

Jessica Alvarenga, a sophomore public health science major who passed by the tabling Wednesday, said the event was necessary for students at this university.

“We are a huge party campus, so I feel like people just lose themselves,” Alvarenga said. “We can forget how it is that we should act in different scenarios.”

Alvarenga said the amount of help available on campus encouraged her, and she was pleasantly surprised that there were four peer education groups devoted to this subject.

This entire event was part of the university’s StepUp program, which encourages bystander intervention. Messman said this kind of congregation shows there are plenty of ways for students to get help.

“A lot of the norms of our campus and the world is not to get involved in others people’s business,” Messman said. “If a bunch of people were ganging up on us, wouldn’t we want someone to say ‘Back off’?”