“Sexversations” discusses consent, sexual assault

Maria Lago/Staff Writer

On April 8 and 9, “Sexversations,” hosted by FIU’s “It’s on Us” initiative and FIU Athletics, invited students to discuss issues involving sexual assault on campuses and consent.

The two-day event was open to all FIU students and invited special guests Kelly Addington and Becca Tieder.

Addington and Tieder, best friends since high school and now educators and activists on sexual assault awareness and sexual empowerment on their website KellyandBecca.com, talked about how students should feel comfortable and open about these topics.

“Get educated so you can inform, address the culture of sex as a ‘taboo,’ create an environment where sexual survivors can come forward, and make your campus your community,” said Tieder.

The speakers encouraged students to speak up about issues involving sexual assault on campus and to know the resources that they offer.

Addington herself was a victim of sexual assault when she was a senior in college. She told the audience that a man she knew sexually assaulted her when she was under the influence of alcohol. She discovered days later that she was pregnant, and later on she had a miscarriage. She said that the process of recovery was painful.

“I lived for about a year in denial and remained silent,” said Addington.

It was after she started talking to friends, who said they believed in her and it was not her fault, that she felt more comfortable talking about it.

The importance of speaking on this topic, especially on college campuses, is what inspired the “It’s On Us” campaign to host the Sexversations.

“Students see things that are about sexual violence or assault and they grimace or hold back, because they can think they don’t need to know about that or it doesn’t affect them,” said Jake Burns, program coordinator for the Office of the Dean of Students.

Sophomore students Brittany Haskell and Katlyn Fredericks thought the event was pretty powerful and captivating. Fredericks said that she knew somebody that has gone through sexual assault and at the time she didn’t know how to respond. With the event, she thinks that now she is more prepared to those situations.

For more information about Kelly and Becca student resources, visit onestudent.org/learn/ and the It’s On Us page on FIU Student Affairs website: studentaffairs.fiu.edu/get-support/panthers-care/its-on-us/

Featured photo courtesy of Jake Burns.