In recent years, the University of Wyoming and the Laramie community have made efforts to counter and alleviate instances of sexual assault, harassment, and interpersonal violence.
In the UW’s 2018 Campus Climate Survey, 27.1% of students were victims of at least one instance of sexual assault. 58.7% of students reported offensive behaviors or sexual harassment by other students.
In an updated climate survey from 2019, researchers found that 16% of women feel unsafe walking around campus at night, while 25% of genderqueer and 33% of transgender individuals feel unsafe walking campus at night.
The survey also found that 62% of respondents have had some experience with sexist jokes or comments, with 48% witnessing such jokes or comments on campus. Similarly, 59% have some experience with objectifying comments or jokes, with 45% witnessing these at UW.
However, programs such as Green Dot and the SAFE Project have been implemented on campus and in town to train individuals on bystander intervention.
“I help advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, family violence, and help connect them to those resources,” Campus Services Coordinator Dakota Metzger said.
“What’s great about the SAFE Project is that it also has a prevention coordinator. So she goes into schools and talk about boundaries, consent, health, healthy masculinity, all of those things, hoping to prevent those from being an issue in the first place in the future”
Even more broad than the UW campus, the SAFE Project has been active across Laramie and other Wyoming schools, such as LCCC and WyoTech.
“I’m here, if anything happens to someone at the university,” Metzger said. “If they’re sexually assaulted, I can be with them every step of the way.”
“I’m helping them with whatever their needs are, helping them get through school, help with academic support, or getting them connected to counselors that specialize in trauma.”
The SAFE Project, according to its website, aims to establish a community where people connect without violence, coercion, or fear.
They advocate for and empower survivors of stalking, intimate partner, family and sexual violence and their education and awareness efforts are focused on prevention and improved community response.
One specific training that they hold yearly, called SAFE Men, asks men to step up in the fight against sexual gender-based violence.
According to the SAFE Projects website, the SAFE Men Program is designed to empower passionate men to create positive change around gender-based violence in their communities.
In today’s world, many men see the need to take action and help, but do not feel that they have the tools to do so. SAFE Men gives participants the tools to create the change that our communities so desperately need.
Mitzger stated that there are several men across Laramie that have participated in the program.
“Those signs that are in the bars, that was the project of Andy Glines, who owns the Crowbar downtown. He went through that training,” Mitzger said.
“The posters have a QR code with information about SAFE Project items in Memorial Hospital and all of those different resources so people can quickly get that information.”
Junior Holly Qualms and Sophomore Madi Pollat shared their thoughts on the program.
“I feel like the program brings comfort to people who feel like they can’t speak up because of what other people might think of them or that they won’t be believed,” Pollat said.
“I’m glad that resources like this exist and are working with people around,” Qualms said. “I’m glad that there are people who are willing to fight that battle.”
Qualms also shared her thoughts on the SAFE Men program.
“I think that that’s a great idea. I think that this program is good for bringing men the tools they need to help,” Qualms said. “I just hope that there’s more of a culture of safety and respect and caring for people.”
