The College provides comprehensive prevention through a variety of innovative initiatives and best practices that educate and raise awareness on the many behaviors that fall within the term sexual violence. We welcome training requests for teams and groups large and small.
The prevention of sexual assault, relationship violence and sexual harassment is aligned with the mission of the College, where students are challenged to answer the question “What are our obligations to one another?” Respect for, and obligation to, another individual is the foundation of healthy relationships and the key to prevention.
Consistent with this mission, Holy Cross provides prevention programming and educational opportunities throughout the year and throughout a student’s time at the College. Education begins prior to coming to campus through online modules, and continues during orientation, where College staff members discuss the College’s policy prohibiting sexual assault and relationship violence, resources and safety, and continues to be offered throughout the year.
We partner with other offices across campus, to ensure that prevention education is comprehensive and collaborative. New employees participate in sexual harassment prevention training, and all employees are offered training on the College’s policy prohibiting sexual misconduct and discriminatory harassment.
The Office of Title IX and Equal Opportunity also partners throughout the community so that our offerings authentically reflect the needs and interests of participants: Together we work toward the goals of prevention, bystander awareness and risk reduction.
Prevention and Education Initiatives
CrossCheck
CrossCheck is the branding used to encompass all prevention and education initiatives. It signals to the campus that the event, person, image, etc is informed by the following pledge:
- To recognize and condemn sexual violence in all forms
- To engage as an active bystander and intervene in situations that contribute to rape culture
- To continue to educate myself on ways to disrupt rape culture
- To support survivors of sexual violence
Relationship Peer Educators
The Relationship Peer Educators (RPEs) serve all members of the Holy Cross community by establishing themselves as an interdisciplinary resource group that coordinates and provides developmental programming for students and the greater college community around issues of sexual and relationship violence. RPEs provide peer support and serve as a private resource. A private resource means that they are not legally bound by confidentiality however, they receive training on how to support their peers and refer them to various resources on campus. They do not have an obligation to report and are trained to report if there is an immediate threat to safety. RPE Vision: Creating a safe community free from sexual violence. The RPE members receive specialized training to educate the campus community on issues of sexual assault and misconduct, consent, and other forms of interpersonal violence. As a peer education group, RPE members do not engage in peer counseling. They are co-advised by the Offices of Student Wellness Education and Title IX & Equal Opportunity. RPE Mission: Relationship Peer Educators are trained to offer support, education, and facilitated discussion through programming on issues of sexual assault and misconduct, consent, and other forms of interpersonal violence for the Holy Cross community. We do this to reduce sexual violence on campus and promote a culture of a healthy relationships.
Learn more about Relationship Peer Educators.
Bystander Intervention Workshop
Bringing In the Bystander
Bringing in the Bystander is an evidence-based bystander intervention program. Rather than focusing strictly on the roles of perpetrator and victim, the highly interactive Bringing in the Bystander curriculum uses a community responsibility approach. It teaches bystanders how to safely intervene in instances where sexual violence, relationship violence, or stalking may be occurring or where there may be a risk that it will occur.
To provide a sense of content that is covered, here are the session’s learning objectives:
- Gain an understanding of what bystander responsibility is through the presentation of concepts and examples
- Have the opportunity to apply the concept of bystander responsibility to their own past experiences
- Gain an understanding of individual and situational factors that facilitate appropriate bystander intervention
- Have the opportunity to apply the concept of bystander responsibility to sexual and relationship violence and stalking
- Be able to identify the range of unacceptable sexual behaviors and become aware of the prevalence and context of sexual violence
- Understand the variety of negative consequences of sexual and relationship violence and stalking for victims and communities
- Increase their empathy for victims
- Understand the role community members can play in preventing sexual and relationship violence and stalking and reducing its negative consequences
- Cultivate skills in identifying situations where bystander intervention may be appropriate
- Gain experience in working through the decision process with regard to bystander behaviors including the costs and benefits of intervention
- Gain knowledge of resources that are available to support bystanders and victim/survivors
- Express motivation and commitment to be an active bystander
- Be able to describe the range of potential bystander behaviors and situations where action might be appropriate
- Gain experience in working through the decision process with regard to bystander behaviors including the costs and benefits of intervention
- Gain knowledge of resources that are available to support bystanders and
One Love
The One Love Foundation is a nonprofit organization that offers educational workshops created to teach young people about the signs of unhealthy and healthy relationship behaviors, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to love better.
The One Love Foundation has developed 10 healthy and unhealthy signs within relationships to help people foster healthy relationships and identify when relationships may be unhealthy.
10 Healthy Relationship Signs
Trust, equality, independence, kindness, taking responsibility, comfortable pace, respect, healthy conflict, fun, honesty
10 Unhealthy Relationship Signs
Intensity, possessiveness, manipulation, isolation, sabotage, belittling, guilting, volatility, deflecting responsibility, betrayal
Holy Cross uses One Love resources to offer a variety of workshops, including:
- “Escalation” - Escalation is a compelling film that tells the story of an abusive relationship — from its sweet beginnings to the tragic end. The authentic depiction of unhealthy behaviors escalating into violence helps you recognize and understand the early signs of relationship abuse.
- “Amor del Bueno” - Julio and Mariana’s relationship may look like amor del bueno or real love on the surface, but this film shows how their unhealthy relationship unfolds, providing a jumping off point for a conversation about the 10 Signs of a Healthy and Unhealthy Relationship.
- “Because I Love You” - This short film focuses on how the phrase “because I love you” can be a tool for deflecting responsibility, as well as the role that alcohol often plays as an excuse for unhealthy or abusive behaviors.
- Behind the Post - Social media can skew our view of the relationships around us and influence our decision to stay in unhealthy ones. This workshop explores all 10 signs of an unhealthy relationship and is your go-to for educating about digital consent and social media.
The campus community can use the workshop request form to request any of the One Love workshops. These workshops are also offered throughout the year as programs that Holy Cross members can attend.
Title IX and Equal Opportunity Trainings
In addition to training that is geared toward prevention, the Office of Title IX and Equal Opportunity works with offices, groups, and committees across campus to increase awareness about compliance, including understanding when, how and why to report potential policy violations.
The office also offers tailored trainings to colleagues on campus who have volunteered to be a part of the Title IX adjudication process, such as panelists, appeal officers or advisors.
Again, to request a workshop or training, please complete the Title IX & Equal Opportunity Training Request form at least two weeks (10 business days) prior to the day of the desired program date.