Nepa says she wants students to know there is support for them.
“There are people that care and love them, they can come to public safety,” she said. “I think a monumental moment was for Public Safety to be hosting an event in collaboration with the Sexual Violence Prevention Committee to support survivors on our campus.”
Sergeant Bryan Verzosa of the Ithaca College Office of Public Safety echoed Nepa’s sentiments.
“This event is important for everyone,” Verzosa said. “The more knowledge about it and the more everyone feels they can be heard and accepted, the more we can help survivors, advocates and allies.”
Tatiana Rollins ’23, a psychology major, attended the event and participated in the activities. Her favorite one involved writing anonymous messages to survivors and sticking them to a poster board.
“There are too many people who are victims of sexual assault who don’t have the people to talk to about it or the resources to talk about it,” Rollins said. “Just having a place where you can walk in and know that you’re supported is important.”
The Sexual Assault Awareness Month kick-off event is the first of a series of events the college is hosting. A list of events happening throughout the month of April is on the school’s Sexual Harassment and Assault Response & Education (SHARE) website.
Nepa says students who experience sexual harassment or assault can utilize the school’s resources, confidential services or off-campus resources identified on SHARE’s website.
