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A SUNY Cortland group committed to preventing sexual assault and raising awareness about the topic will offer certified training to all students, faculty and staff members on Friday, Sept. 11.

Sexual Health and Assault Prevention Educators (SHAPE) will host the free training session from 3 to 9 p.m. in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge. Anyone who completes it will receive a certificate and SHAPE t-shirt.  This training is open to all, regardless of gender, and male students are encouraged to attend.

Nationwide, studies suggest that one out of every five college-age women experiences sexual assault during their time at school, and that the first few months of college are the riskiest time for women. Just this weekend, a SUNY Cortland student was raped off campus. The suspected offender has been arrested, but widespread threat of abuse that women face at all college campuses is ongoing.

The SHAPE training continues the College’s communication campaign to educate students about sexual abuse and create a campus culture based on mutual respect and communication.

The program will cover bystander intervention techniques; ways to support survivors of sexual assault; resources available on and off campus for referral; a discussion about rape culture; the definition of affirmative consent; and the qualities of healthy relationships and effective communication.

For more information, contact Cynthia Lake, the associate director of residence life and housing, at cynthia.lake@cortland.edu or 607-753-5414.