Since Student Wellness was created on ETSU’s campus in 2022, the office has been hosting events in March for Sexual Assault Awareness Month and in October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Halie Darby, assistant director of Student Wellness, emphasized the importance of creating a supportive environment on campus and spreading awareness surrounding these topics to help end stigma.
“A big part of why we recognize this month here on campus is because we really want to end the silence about sexual assault and help to support victims to feel comfortable to come forward,” Darby said. “We want them to know that there are people on campus who are going to start by believing when they hear those stories from them and that they’re not going to be faced with stigma when they do choose to report.”
Student Wellness kicked off the month with Start by Believing Day, a national event that takes place the first Wednesday of every April.
“Start by Believing Day is specifically focusing on breaking down stigma and encouraging individuals to start by believing when someone does disclose to them that they’ve experienced sexual assault,” Darby said.
The event partnered with both on- and off-campus organizations to share resources and bring awareness to the support available within the community. Attendees were encouraged to sign a “Start by Believing” pledge, stating that they would start by believing when someone discloses an experience of abuse or assault to them.
On Monday, April 6, Student Wellness hosted its first Spring into Action event in the CPA Yard. The event included several outdoor activities alongside organizations providing information and resources.
Spring into Action included a mile walk-run, a dance fitness class to empower participants in feeling more confident within themselves, a self-defense class and a yoga class to empower and ground participants within their bodies.
Student Wellness has also featured student-led discussions on Culp Main Street.
On April 8, the office hosted a Healthy Relationships topic. Student employees shared information about red flags in relationships, how to recognize them and ways to get help if someone is struggling in a relationship.
Finally, on April 13, Student Wellness will host Happy Hour with a Twist from noon to 2 p.m., where staff will lead conversations about alcohol and consent.
“These are events that we offer every month, but this month specifically we will be focusing on alcohol and consent and talking about how to appropriately ask for consent and all of the important aspects that come along with that,” Darby said.
The final event will be Denim Day on Wednesday, April 29. Denim Day is an international event that aims to raise awareness after a court case in which the court ruled that the victim could not have been sexually assaulted because she was wearing tight jeans.
“We host Denim Day to remind people that no matter what you’re wearing, what you’re doing, no one is asking for sexual assault, so we help to raise awareness about that case and similar cases here within the United States and spread information about that,” Darby said.
While Student Wellness specifically highlights these topics during Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the office continues to spread awareness, provide information and resources and host programming that goes more in-depth with these and other similar topics throughout the school year.
“I just really hope that people feel more comfortable talking about these topics with others and that they are able to be more of a safe space for others to feel that they can talk to them about topics like this,” Darby said. “It’s really important for us on campus to break down that stigma related to sexual assault, so it’s my hope that we as a community can do better about that overall. I hope that they’re empowered to make a difference on campus.”
