Commit to daily action to shift the culture
A “culture of violence” is a community’s complex web of beliefs, actions and customs which condone and encourage violence. This culture impacts our community and because of this, we must take deliberate action to ensure every Sun Devil has access to in-person and virtual communities where they are happy, healthy and safe.
Take a moment to learn more
The first step, for anyone looking to take action to dismantle a culture of violence, is to learn. Thank you for your commitment to creating a community of care here at ASU by learning how you can take action to prevent violence and support people in and outside of our Sun Devil family. Here are some places where you can start:
- Learn how social norms can encourage both violent and healthy behaviors.
- Explore the continuum of sexual violence to learn the language, attitudes and behaviors that constitute violence.
- Understand how the continuum of sexual violence applies to the ASU community by reviewing ASU’s definitions of consent and sexual misconduct.
- Review the role of power and control in sexual and relationship violence.
- Know the red flags of unhealthy or abusive relationships as well as the characteristics of a healthy relationship.
- Increase your understanding and support of the LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and asexual/allied) community, including the respectful usage of gender pronouns. Consider participating in an ASU SafeZONE training.
- Sign-up to attend a Sun Devil Support Network training to learn about ASU resources, sexual and relationship violence prevention, and how to support a victim or survivor.
- Complete an online training such as: Community of Care, Everfi Violence Prevention, Step-Up.
- Complete the Devils 4 Devils Canvas course to develop additional skills applicable to supporting a survivor, such as empathy.
- Learn more about the role culture and identity can play within abuse and how abuse can look different depending on the context.
A better understanding of sexual violence is integral to taking action to dismantle a “culture of violence.” The first step is awareness and understanding, so we can begin to take mindful actions to address and prevent violence in both in-person and virtual environments.
