Campus News

GC, Dove Center co-host 'Consent Revolution'

Event recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Dover Center School Outreach Specialist Tiffany Keller, left, engages with students Leilah Nunez, center, and Sara Tabuena during last Thursday’s Consent Revolution at Garrett College.

The Consent Revolution, organized by the Dove Center and co-hosted with Garrett College, took place last Thursday and brought heightened attention to April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

"One of our goals for this event was to continue a healthy conversion around sexual assault prevention," said Tiffany Keller, the Dove Center's school outreach specialist with Garrett College. "We want to make sure students know that support is available."

Garrett College's AAUW Chapter also provide on-site support of the event.

"It's important for students to know there is support available," said AAUW President Alayna Savage, a 2023 Southern Garrett High School graduate. "This [participating in the Consent Revolution] is a way of showing support for consent – it's a big issue that needs to be discussed more."

Keller noted that the Dove Center has a high-profile spot outside of the Garrett College café each Thursday. The focus of those visits is typically an interactive, educational tabling activity around topics such as self-advocacy, self-esteem, and domestic violence.

"Many students have stated that they appreciate Garrett College supporting efforts in making our services easily accessible to them," said Keller.

"We value our relationship with the Dove Center and appreciate the support their staff offers to our students," said Shelley Menear, Garrett College's director of institutional compliance.

Menear noted that the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault estimates that 1-in-8 college students are sexually assaulted while in college.

"The Dove Center always finds such creative ways to engage the students, and even employees, in educating on healthy relationships," said Menear.

The Dove Center's mission is to provide "safety, advocacy, and counseling to individuals whose lives have been shattered by domestic violence and/or sexual assault" while working to expand public awareness of those issues.