The San Diego State Health Promotion Department offers many resources to fight against sexual violence and sexually transmitted infections on campus.
Students can become Peer Health Educators or get involved in programs like FratMANners or SISSTER (Sororities Invested in Survivor Support, Training, and Ending Rape culture).
Health Educator at Health Promotion and coordinator of FratMANners and SISSTER Samantha Greeney Hamlin said the programs “take a sex positive approach to educate peers on consent, as well as share the various resources available to survivors of sexual violence.
Greeney Hamlin said every semester Health Promotion gives a 50-minute presentation to all new members within in the Greek community, as well as participate and host a variety of events throughout the year.
“I really like programs on campus like FratMANners and SISSTER because they bring awareness to issues that we know happen but don’t think will happen to us,” communication sophomore Cole Alves said. “They are bringing people together within the Greek community to address the problem and get everyone to look out for one another.”
Linguistics junior Tyler Kistler said he had the opportunity to help with FratMANners workshops during the spring semester of his sophomore year.
“It was extremely rewarding in reaching out to members of fraternities from a wide range of backgrounds and views,” Kistler said. “Despite the diversity, the program helped achieve an overall better sense for situational awareness and etiquette of true gentlemen, manners that are too often carelessly disregarded.”
SDSU Health promotion offers violence presentations on a variety of topics, including sexual violence awareness, prevention, intervention, healthy relationships and dating violence, as well as the FratMANners and SISSTER programs
“From my experience in FratMANners, I think the biggest impact it has had is shifting the focus onto young men and how we can better address problems with rape culture and violence,” said president of FratMANners and kinesiology senior Andy Plows. “Through outreach and education we are able to promote a healthy campus environment, and help stop rape culture.”
Students can also join sexual violence awareness and prevention groups on campus such as Aztecs for Awareness, These Hands Don’t Hurt and The Andrea O’Donnell Womyn’s Outreach Association.
Community service coordinator for the Womyn’s Outreach Association Julia Goldberg said the organization focuses on a mix of social, health and political issues, as well as promoting a safe environment for those who have been sexually assaulted, or knows someone who has been.
Goldberg said WOA’s main event of the semester is ‘Take Back the Night’ during ‘Take Back the Week,’ a series of different events that promote sexual violence awareness that will take place April 10 to April 15.
Goldberg said the event gets people’s attention.
“It’s a pretty noticeable event on campus,” Goldberg said.
“It really gets people’s attention and encourages the promotion of sexual violence awareness on campus to our community and not just within our enclosed group,” she said. “I think that alone is a huge contribution to getting the conversation going.”
Students can also schedule sexual health one-on-one sessions regarding contraception methods, STIs or HIV Pre-Test Education at Student Health Services.
Health Promotion Director Stephanie Waits Galia said Student Health Services opened up a drop-in option for STD testing in the nurse’s clinic this year.
“(Students) with no symptoms can walk right in during open hours to get the tests they’re interested in and stay on top of their sexual health,” she said.
On Valentine’s Day, the event “Every Kiss Begins with Consent” provided students with sexual health information such as sexual consent, STI’s and contraception on the Campanile Walkway.
In addition to events put on by Health Promotion, organizations or classes can also request free presentations on sexual health or condoms for on campus events and presentations.
Goldberg said sexual violence and STI’s are still very prominent in the college community and college atmosphere.
“I think if anything is improving it is how people are addressing sexual violence,” she said.
“People are more informed on the resources available to them and luckily the resources have really expanded over time on this campus.”
