The Movement Peer Educators aim to end interpersonal violence at NC State

Editor’s Note: This article contains reference to sexual assault and interpersonal violence. 

The Movement is a group of students who are trained in interpersonal violence education through the Women’s Center. The group seeks to end interpersonal violence and ensure a safe community on campus using advocacy and education.

Fiona Prestemon, a fourth-year studying psychology and president of the Movement, said the overall goal of the Movement is not only to prevent sexual assault on campus, but also to spark the conversation on campus about interpersonal violence.

“We do a lot of tabling events,” Prestemon said. “For instance, today we had our Sexual Assault Awareness Month kickoff, since April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. We also hold workshops, at least once a month, but are shooting to do a little bit more. We also collaborate with a lot of other clubs and organizations on campus to facilitate workshops that are catered towards them.”

Prestemon said the Movement has benefited campus not only through workshops and resources, but also through encouraging students to approach the topic with an open mind and willingness to learn. 

“It's opened a lot of members' minds, and other individuals that have come to workshops, especially with our new curriculum development, to the different levels of [interpersonal violence] because it's literally every aspect of our life, and there's varying degrees of it,” Prestemon said. “And I think just being able to teach people and see people's reactions is definitely meaningful to see that because it's like, ‘Oh, this is prevalent,’ even if you don't identify as a survivor, everyone is affected by the culture we live in that perpetuates interpersonal violence.”

Mak Rink, a fourth-year studying communication and vice president of the Movement, said the Movement works with campus organizations such as Fraternity and Sorority Life and has begun putting a creative spin on their education tactics. 

“We're actually doing a lot of more creative outlets,” Rink said. “We just did a zine making thing with members. For instance, like we just developed a new curriculum called How to Say No, and how stalking started is not romantic. We just piloted How to Say No, and provided a zine … members could take with them. And those are also out in that Women's Center for people to take with them as material that provides education while also being more accessible than a workshop will always be.”

Prestemon said members typically join by emailing leadership members and making sure they are a good fit for the organization. The Movement is not meant to be a support group and instead focuses solely on educational work and advocacy. 

“Then you can come to any Monday night meetings, and then we just ask that … you go to all four of those core trainings, which is consent and communications, supporting survivors, bystander behavior, and healthy relationships,” Prestemon said. “That might be shifting in the coming year, but we are still unsure about that for now. It's pretty simple to get involved. Just shoot me an email, basically.”

In addition to giving members the resources to educate their peers about interpersonal violence prevention, the Movement also provides safe sex supplies.

“It's really if members are a part of other clubs or organizations and they want to talk about it with their peers,” Rink said. “And we just kind of give them the tools to be able to do that. Another way to do that education is on Valentine's Day and Halloween, we'll do Candy, Condoms and Consent about free, safer sex supplies and consent information. And now we have a space within the Women's Center, where if anyone wants any safer sex supplies, they can just grab and pick them up.”

Rink said the Movement also brings awareness to other assets the Women’s Center has. 

“I think a lot of people don't even realize the Women's Center exists,” Rink said. “I was tabling today, and I was like, ‘Have you been to the Women's Center?’ And they're like, ‘No,’ even though we're right in Talley, and I think just making those resources available, and enabling people on campus to have conversations that people might be uncomfortable having is a really important part of this work.”

The Movement will be hosting an Interpersonal Violence in the South Asian Community workshop Wednesday, April 12 at 6 p.m., their Take Back the Night event Thursday, April 13 at 6 p.m. and a Supporting Survivors Workshop Thursday, April 20 at 6 p.m.

More information about the Movement can be found here. More information about the Women’s Center can be found here. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship violence, sexual violence, stalking or any other form of interpersonal violence and are in need of advocacy services, the NC State Women’s Center has trained advocates available to offer crisis intervention, emotional support, resources and referrals. Students can contact the 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline at 919-515-4444 or email ncsuadvocate@ncsu.edu to schedule an appointment with an advocate.

Advocacy services through the NC State Women’s Center are available for all students inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

For more information on advocacy services, please visit go.ncsu.edu/supportsurvivors. If you would like to talk to a confidential resource, you can also connect with the NC State Counseling Center at 919-515-2423. You may also visit go.ncsu.edu/safe for additional information on resources and reporting options.