The problem of sexual and dating violence on campus isn’t about the mishandling of one case or the actions of one abuser—and while organizing around specific cases can be powerful and important, ending gender violence in schools is going to require systemic policy change.
Schools can fail survivors in a lot of different ways, so one of your first steps should be identifying the specific ways in which your school is causing harm, and creating a set of demands to improve it. Whether you decide to organize around your school’s adjudication system, a lack of crisis response and counseling resources, inadequate prevention and education, or all of the above, these tips will help you plan and implement a campus campaign.
There’s no one-size-fits-all policy to fighting sexual and dating violence on campus: what works best at a big state school might be different from what works at a religious university, a community college, or an urban liberal arts school. That can make creating demands challenging, but it also gives you the chance to shape innovative, unique policy priorities tailored to your community.
This resource is part of our Campus Organizing Toolkit. Whether your campus needs policy and judicial process reform, has a lack of crisis response and counseling services, or needs greater prevention education, the Campus Organizing Toolkit will walk you through legal requirements and organizing strategies needed to plan an effective campaign.