Education and Bystander Intervention

Community Education

ArtCenter is committed to maintaining an inclusive community that values diversity and fosters acceptance and mutual respect. The College engages in several ongoing efforts to educate the community about the prevalence and prevention of sexual harassment and sexual violence. Students and employees are encouraged to participate in workshops and educational events hosted by the Title IX Office. Prevention programs and educational sessions about the College’s relevant policies and support resources are included as part of incoming student and new employee orientation. In addition, all employees must complete online training on a regular basis.

As a part of our commitment to educating the ArtCenter community, in 2022, the Title IX office conducted a Campus Climate Survey that surveyed students on their perception of a number of topics including Bystander Intervention, How to Report, and their overall awareness of Title IX policies. This information will be used to help the Title IX office design our educational efforts to address the exact needs of our community. If you would like to read the Summary Report of the survey that information can be found here.

Bystander Intervention

Preventing sexual misconduct is everybody’s responsibility. An active bystander is someone who lives up to that responsibility by safely intervening when they see or hear behaviors that harass or otherwise seem unsafe. Intervening as a bystander means recognizing a potentially harmful situation and choosing to respond in a way that could positively impact the outcome. It is a strategy for prevention of various types of misconduct, including violence, bullying, harassment and sexual assault.

How to Be an Active Bystander

At ArtCenter, we embrace the idea that if you see something, say something. There are many ways you can take action to help:

• Be observant – The best bystanders are those who do not just stand by – they see situations as they occur. Proactively identify warning signs of potentially unsafe situations. This means being aware of your surroundings and familiarizing yourself with signs of a potentially unhealthy relationship.
• Directly intervene – If you see someone who may be in trouble, consider if it is safe to check in and ask, “Are you okay?” Listen, see what they need, and follow through. Never put yourself in harm’s way to directly intervene.
• Create a distraction – If you see someone potentially at risk of harm, a distraction can sometimes help diffuse the situation. If you see someone potentially being harassed, and you feel safe doing so, you may enter the conversation and change the subject, or see if you can help the person leave the situation.
• Delegate – If you see someone in trouble, it may be appropriate to delegate and get additional help to the scene. Talk to a trusted advisor, for example, to see if they can assist. If it’s an emergency or safety concern, call 911 or Campus Security.
• Follow Up – One way you can be an active bystander is to show care and concern for the people around you. If necessary or appropriate, follow up with someone to see how they are doing. Make sure you check in with yourself as well and access resources as needed.

The College offers bystander intervention training to all new students in an effort to ensure that each member of the campus community is invested in creating a safe campus environment for themselves and others.

Everyone is encouraged to continually educate themselves on how to take action rather than stand by. This tip sheet from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center explains why bystander intervention is important and includes strategies on how to intervene.

Request A Workshop

The Title IX Office is thrilled to offer the community a variety of educational workshops that can be tailored for departments, student organizations, or other audiences. If you would like to request that a member of the Title IX Office hosts a workshop or brief educational presentation for your department or group, feel free to email brittany.raygoza@artcenter.edu. Examples of possible workshop or presentation topics include:

• Understanding Affirmative Consent
• Defining and Respecting Digital Consent
• What is Title IX?
• Setting and Communicating Boundaries
• Where’s the Line: Sexual Harassment
• Building Healthy Relationships
• Bystander Intervention
• Understanding, Responding to, and Preventing Gender-Based Microaggressions
• Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response 101: What is Sexual Misconduct?
• Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response 102: Mandated Reporting and Responding to Disclosures
• Supporting a Friend Involved in an Investigation
• History of Sexual Harassment

If there is a workshop that you feel would benefit your group, but it is not listed above, please feel free to include that information in your email. The Title IX Office will work with you to bring relevant, tailored information to your team.

Safety Tips

While victim-blaming is never appropriate and ArtCenter fully recognizes that only those who commit sexual misconduct are responsible for their actions, the following suggestions are provided to help you reduce your risk of being victimized or being accused of sexual misconduct.

Increasing Your Own Safety

• Make any limits or boundaries you may have known as early as possible.
• Clearly and firmly articulate consent or lack of consent.
• Know that a healthy relationship is when partners respect each other's needs and boundaries. If you think you or someone else is in an unhealthy relationship, report to the College to access resources.
• Be careful with intimate or private information you share in electronic or online communications.
• Talk often with your partner(s) about your needs.
• Be aware that alcohol and other drug consumption can make it more difficult to communicate and understand communication about boundaries and consent.

Reducing Your Risk of Being Accused of Sexual Misconduct

• Show your potential partner respect if you are in a position of initiating sexual activity.
• If a potential partner says “no,” accept it and do not push. If you want a “yes,” ask for it, and do not proceed without clear permission.
• Clearly communicate your intentions to your potential sexual partners. Give them a chance to share their intentions and/or boundaries with you.
• Avoid ambiguity or vague situations. Do not make assumptions about consent or about whether someone is attracted to you. Do not assume that other people have the same expectations as you do. If you have questions or are unclear, you do not have consent.
• Recognize that just because someone is in a dating relationship, or has given consent for sexual activity in the past, does not indicate they have given consent for future sexual activity.
• Understand your role at ArtCenter and what is expected of you both on and off campus. Educate yourself about the Sexual Misconduct Policy and other applicable policies.
• Be aware that alcohol and other drug consumption can make it more difficult to communicate and understand communication about boundaries and consent.