Mahdis Habibinia | Executive Editor (Online)
Featured Image: Campus security has several call stations set up across campus. | Fatema Ali
There were several incidents a few years ago where select students across Ontario post-secondary schools made moving day a nightmare for first-year students, especially females, and their families.
As parents drove up to campus, signs written on banners in spray paint could be seen reading: “Daughter Daycare,” “Dads, we’ll take it from here,” “Daughter Drop-off,” and even “Drop off the Mom too!”
Fortunately, recent years have seen no such signs or activity from colleges or universities. There’s a zero-tolerance policy now for that kind of ‘welcome party.’
“It’s a huge no; it’s a straight-up no. If it is something that’s said or done, it’s going to be shut down immediately,” says a fifth-year history student and Founders College Frosh Leader who wishes to remain anonymous.
“That is disgusting,” agrees Andrew Mozuraitis, fourth-year psychology student and third-year Stong College Frosh Leader. “If I saw that sign I would tear it up immediately. One-hundred percent, absolutely not okay. It goes against the whole process and values of Frosh week.”
What’s more is that York University in particular does a great job of making first-year students and their families feel welcomed and excited about starting the next chapter in their lives.
“Frosh week is a time for new students to feel welcomed,” says anonymous fifth-year urban studies student who is also a Founders College Frosh Leader. “They’re coming into a new environment, we want them to feel safe and included.”
“We’re here to create a positive environment for new people who are coming out of their comfort zone,” adds Mozuraitis. And for parents of first-year students it’s just as important, too.
“They’re dropping off their child for higher education, they don’t want to send their kids into an environment where it’s not safe,” says Vikram Singh, second-year international psychology student and first-year Frosh Leader for Calumet College. “And we’re on top of that.”
When two people engage in sexual activity, they both have to agree to what is happening. This is consent. If consent is not given by both people, it is sexual assault.
York’s seven colleges, Frosh housings, and Schulich program all do an impeccable job with their Frosh week events. From helpful and enthusiastic leaders to activities throughout the week that highlight the university’s values, one way they do this is by ensuring safety through an emphasis on the topic of consent.
All week Frosh leaders are defining and advocating the term to ensure student safety and comfort. When two people engage in sexual activity, they both have to agree to what is happening. This is consent. If consent is not given by both people, it is sexual assault.
“It is essentially mandatory permission,” says Lucas Quintos, a second-year Schulich student and fourth-time Vanier College Frosh Leader. “’Am I allowed to do this?’ You have to ask and make sure.”
One of the largest Frosh week events that emphasize the importance of consent is YU Gotta Be Healthy which is followed by the Condom Olympics. “It talks about safe sex,” says anonymous fifth-year urban studies student and Founders College Frosh Leader.
“When it comes to consent we always try to reiterate that during our opening ceremonies and throughout orientation. We go over the expectations of Frosh week, consent, etc. It’s something that we try to teach our leaders as well.”
“Students are hit hard with the subject of consent, they listen and understand,” says sixth-year electrical engineering student and fifth-time Bethune College Frosh Leader, George Gerges.
In light of the allegations surrounding Harvey Weinstein earlier this summer, the subsequent #MeToo movement, the conviction of Bill Cosby, and now with Frosh week more than half-way done, the topic of consent—and how it is established—is right at the vanguard of social discourse.
Across all buildings and events, Frosh leaders, and faculty are ensuring student safety and awareness. In fact, it doesn’t just stop at what first-year students are taught.
“We have a strict rule that leaders cannot touch the frosh. It’s a rule for all colleges,” says anonymous fifth-year urban studies student and Founders Leader. However, this doesn’t include administering CPR or if a student is in danger.
York’s Frosh rules and events also clearly cover a concept known as “pre-consent.”
When the movie Blockers came out earlier this year, there was a scene where Kayla (played by Geraldine Viswanathan) turns to her prom date and says, “I’m fully planning on having sex tonight.” Then, she takes a sip of her drink.
According to Kay Cannon who directed the movie, the order of those events was intentional. Essentially, Kayla was pre-consenting to having sex before she became drunk, when she might not be able to be clear about that decision later.
This isn’t the first time the idea of pre-consenting has popped up this year either. In March, “consent apps” began circulating their way around campuses. The idea is that people in a relationship or people who meet at a party and want to hook up sign digital contracts before they have sex, both consenting to sexual activity.
These apps include Legal Fling, We-Consent and uConsent.
The apps ask the user to confirm their consent to sexual activity with another user by tapping or writing on the screen of their phones. The apps aim to provide a record about any agreement given for sexual activity, which goes into detail about which acts were and were not approved.
Always remind them that it’s not a one-time thing; if you ask if you can do it once, it doesn’t always mean you can do it all the time. You can hug someone the first day, but two days later they might not be in the same mood.
However, in a world of romance post the #MeToo movement, the problems with these apps arise when a person believes that pre-consenting in any way (contractual or verbal) is equivalent to consent. It takes away a person’s accountability for checking in on their partner after any sexual conduct has begun.
“Always remind them that it’s not a one-time thing; if you ask if you can do it once, it doesn’t always mean you can do it all the time,” says Quintos. “You can hug someone the first day, but two days later they might not be in the same mood.”
For this very reason, some criminal lawyers have argued that these apps are completely redundant. They do not take into consideration a person’s right to withdraw consent at any time. On uConsent and Legal Fling, however, you can actually withdraw consent that you initially granted.
If someone gives consent on an app or while they are sober, there’s nothing stopping them from changing their mind five minutes—or five hours—later. Essentially, even if you’d already embarked upon whatever intimacy you’d consented to, you’d be entitled to withdraw consent at any point.
But further caveats surface when alcohol is involved and there is no clear way of telling just how much one person’s judgement is compromised at the time of granting consent. This can easily lead to situations of confusion and miscommunication.
“The university does a good job at helping us prevent certain situations and I think Frosh Week teaches students, including leaders, a lot of skills that help with that,” says anonymous fifth-year history/dance student and Founders Leader. “Every year during OTL, we’re taught ways of preventing it from happening. I think the dry Frosh helps as well because they’re learning it sober and that translates into the year because we emphasize it all year.”
Consent is a choice and has to be clearly expressed in both words and behaviour. Each person must want to engage in the sexual activity and say “yes” audibly. It’s important to note that silence or a nod is not enough.
It also includes touching or patting someone on the back, small things that some people might not be comfortable with.
It’s also important to be respectful to whatever the person says. “‘No’ doesn’t mean keep asking until you hear ‘yes,’” says third-year Schulich student and second-time Frosh Leader Sharmaine Sayaboc.
It does not count as consent if: a person is impaired by alcohol or drugs; a person is under the age of 16; a person is unconscious or sleeping; a person is in a position of trust or authority like a teacher, coach, employer, etc.; a person uses intimidation, persuasion, pressure, or threats to coerce someone into sexual activity; or a person changes their mind at any time after initially giving consent.
Without consent, any physical activity that does not involve intercourse is still considered to be sexual violence or harassment, such as any unwanted verbal conduct or physical conduct of a sexual nature like kissing, fondling, groping, oral sex, et cetera.
“It also includes touching or patting someone on the back, small things that some people might not be comfortable with,” adds Quintos.
York’s training curriculum for Frosh is cautious and strict with preventing harassment of any kind. “Especially in this environment it’s unacceptable because there are under-aged Frosh coming into orientation week. Misogynistic, racist, and homophobic acts are also unacceptable and are not tolerated. The university as a whole is very transparent about it,” explains anonymous fifth-year urban studies Founders Leader.
When asked about advice they would give to first-year students, Frosh Leaders across York emphasize the importance of both having fun but also remaining respectable of your peers and above all, staying safe.
“Students should be responsible for their own actions. Men still haven’t really moved away from the whole ‘macho man’ thing. We have to continually get them to take responsibility for what they do,” advises anonymous fifth-year urban studies Founders Leader.
Students should be responsible for their own actions. Men still haven’t really moved away from the whole ‘macho man’ thing. We have to continually get them to take responsibility for what they do.
“But also, be aware of your environment,” advises Sayaboc.
“Make sure that if you’re drinking or partying, you’re with people that you trust. Watch your drinks. And even though you’re having fun, don’t join the crowd, succumbing to peer pressure, by saying yes to sex.”
“Other people don’t belong to us,” explains Quintos. “Every year more and more people are becoming aware; more people understand that you belong to yourself. There’s more understanding about people respecting others’ bodies and decisions.”
“If students have questions, every Frosh leader and person has answers that they can provide. A lot of people coming from high school have a lot of norms about how their sexual life is supposed to work. They’ve been told ‘you’re cool if you do that. Consent is not cool, don’t be that person.’ I say come with an open mind because a lot of myths get busted in these sex-ed workshops during Frosh,” ensures Singh.
And this open-mindedness also transfers to the attitude you should carry when having fun. Mozuraitis advises, “be willing to come out of your shell during Frosh. It’s one of the greatest experiences of your life.”
Essentially, students should keep their hands to themselves. They also should feel comfortable walking around on campus late at night without feeling threatened, agrees Gerges.
Luckily, York’s goSAFE program is one of the largest of its kind in Canada. Essentially, their services operate year-round every evening until 2 a.m. to help people get around campus safely.
According to the website: “The goSAFE teams will go with you to and from any on-campus location, such as the Village Shuttle pick-up hub, parking lots, bus stops or residences. Upon request goSAFE staff will gladly wait with you until your bus or transportation arrives or your car starts, and we strive to meet you at your pick-up location within 10 minutes.”
It’s as easy as placing a call to their office or approaching any goSAFE staff you see at anytime. You can also use any on-campus payphone to call them for free, any Blue Light Emergency Phone asking for goSAFE, and any on-campus Safety Phone by pushing the black goSAFE button.
The goSAFE program does not operate during the Winter Holiday closure but does operate during statutory holidays and other university closures. During the days where goSAFE does not operate, you can contact York’s non-urgent security services at 416-650-8000.
