Fleming College & Trent University Partner On Campaign About Negotiating Sexual Consent

Fleming College, Trent University and their student associations are encouraging communication around sexual consent through a new campaign aimed at post-secondary students and the public.
 
The campaign "#DoYouTalkConsent?" is a partnership between Fleming, Trent, the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC), and PARN: Your Community AIDS Resource Network, and includes a series of posters and a video.

Here is one of the posters...

 
“We want to encourage people to have more communication around sexual consent and what that looks like in practice,” says Amie Kroes, Fleming College’s Student Rights and Responsibilities Officer. “Negotiation of consent, specifically in situations where one or both parties have been consuming alcohol, can get complicated. Seeing positive, pro-social messaging around how to negotiate consent in those cases is our goal.”
 
“Helping students find the language to negotiate consent is an important part of sexual assault prevention,” adds Ruth Walker, clinical team leader, Health Services at Trent University. “We are also proud of the collaboration between our post-secondary institutions, student unions, KSAC, and PARN, which reflects our community-wide efforts to address the issue of sexual violence.”
 
The posters feature three scenarios—two at a bar and one at a home—in which two acquaintances are depicted in conversation. They have met through friends at a bar, and throughout the night begin to negotiate sexual consent.

“As opposed to a message of ‘you must get consent,’ we are attempting to take the conversation one step further and show examples of how one may negotiate consent,” says Kroes.
 
“So often we hear the messages of ‘No Means No,’ but what if we never hear ‘No’? What are some of the other ways that indicate that there may be a question of sexual consent?” asks Lisa Clarke, Community Engagement Manager at Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre.

The posters will be shared on campuses, as well as on social media. The video will be shared on the social media accounts of the campaign partners, and elsewhere. You can watch it below...

DoYouTalkConsent? #TrentTalksConsent #FlemingTalksConsent is a video initiative to encourage the Peterborough and the Kawarthas community to think about the times when sexual consent may be in question, like when drinking alcohol and meeting someone new, and using 'consent' in our everyday language.

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'Don't Be That Guy' Campaign Launched In Peterborough Focusing On Offender Not Victim Of Sexual Assaults

Campaign posterPeterborough Lakefield Community Police Service put out a special release announcing "Don't Be That Guy", a social marketing campaign to raise awareness in Peterborough about the issue of alcohol-facilitated sexual assaults.

Alcohol-facilitated sexual assault is a sexual act perpetrated by an offender with a victim who is profoundly intoxicated to the point of near or actual unconsciousness. In these cases, the victim cannot give consent.

The "Don’t be that Guy" social marketing campaign is aimed at the offender.

Historically, sexual assault campaigns focused on how to prevent being sexually assaulted. The campaign’s message is simple: Don’t sexually assault others. 

According to the release, the campaign is intended to target men between the ages of 18 and 24, who frequent the bars and party scene.

This is especially important in Peterborough, where Fleming College and Trent University are located.

The campaign just launched and runs until theCampaign poster end of September.

Posters (see examples in this post) will be displayed at Trent University, Fleming College and in downtown bars.

Police encourage the reporting of these incidents to police and to get the message across loud and clear that sex without consent is sexual assault.

For more info on this national campaign, go to Sexualassaultvoices.com.

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Reggie's Forced To Close Their Chip Truck At Trent

[UPDATE: Canteen of Kawartha, a small locally owned company which has been in business in Peteborough 30 years, has been awarded the contract. They will serve home-made burgers and fresh curd poutine there, as well as a number of healthier food options.]

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This announcement was made on Reggie's Facebook page yesterday:

 

As of this morning, there were already 51 comments to the post and folks seem ready to take action to discourage this from happening. We all have fond memories of making our way to the chip truck after a long bike ride or hike—or just when you had a craving for one of their delicious burgers and fries. If you would like to voice your concerns regarding this decision, contact the City of Peterborough - Recreation Department at 705. 742.7777 Ext 1873. 

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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Here's An Email From A Trent Prof Circulating About Proposed Development On Charlotte Street

Letter from  Trent Environmental & Resource Studies Professor Stephen Hill...

I'm writing about a proposed development in downtown Peterborough. Shoppers Drug Mart is seeking to abandon their existing store at Charlotte & Aylmer and move to a new larger site kitty corner from where they are now. The new site, if approved, will demolish all of the buildings on the north side of Charlotte, between Bethune and Aylmer (from the paint store to Jim's Pizzeria/Have you Seen). The corner of Charlotte and Aylmer will be a 37 car parking lot, with the new Shoppers building occupying the rest of the block (& loading docks fronting on Bethune). In urban design terms, it's an unmitigated disaster to create a building for no other purpose than to fit the brand image of Shoppers Drug Mart.

For those with more time on their hands, I've written up more on the backstory and posted it to this blog site: SaveCharlotteStreet.blogspot.com.  I'd welcome comments or additional information if you have any.

The whole idea of destroying a vibrant street to build this seems beyond comprehension. Regardless, some city councillors think it's a good idea. I am fairly confident that a concerted effort by a group of citizens can help change their minds (go Margaret Mead!), to ensure the development either doesn't happen or happens in a manner that will result in a building of enduring value. 

If you'd like to do something, please spread the word and take the time to write or call your Councillor, the Mayor and/or the City's Director of Planning. Their contact information is available by clicking here. There also needs to be people willing to speak articulately against this at the Planning Committee when this development is being considered.  

[Save Charlotte Street Blog]

[Photos by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Take a Hike Peterborough

With the fall colours in full bloom, a long weekend fast approaching—and in honour of this being Ontario Hiking Week—it is time to think about going out on a hike with friends and family.

Here in the Patch, we have some gems:

Jackson Park offers a 4.2k trail that stretches past a playground, picnic tables, a creek, numerous benches, a large pond and a beautiful pagoda bridge. Located North of Parkhill Road, Jackson Park has three entrances. One is on Fairbairn Street, the second is on Bonacord Street and the third is on Ackison Road.

Mark S. Burnham Park has a double-loop trail that is 2.3k long. There is a big shelter for larger gatherings, a washroom and only one hill on the 1.4k loop. There are plenty of trail signs with interesting little Peterborough factoids about the park itself. Mark S. Burnham park is located on Highway 7 East.

Trent Nature Areas and Promise Rock Nature Area Trail are both off Nassau Mills Road near Trent University. The Trent Nature Areas have Red, Yellow and Blue trails all offering different lengths and difficulty. Promise Rock Nature Trail is a 2.4k trail that runs between the Otonabee River and an abandoned railway. 

 

For a list of trails near Peterborough, visit the Ontario Trails Council or Hike Ontario.

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Local Author Julie Kirkpatrick at Chapters for Book Signing of "The Camino Letters"

Julie Kirkpatrick was at Chapters Friday night in Peterborough to autograph copies of her new book, The Camino Letters: 26 Tasks on the Way to Finisterre.

Julie is a local lawyer, practicing in Millbrook. In need of a break from law, she scheduled time off work while trying to make the best use of her daughter's unexpected spare time while in France. They decided to spend a month walking an old historic pilgrimage route through Spain called the Camino de Santiago. To satisfy Julie's thirst for knowledge, she decided to liven up the walk by mailing 26 of her friends asking them to provide her a daily task to complete. This whole adventure impacted her far more than she ever expected.

The book is a snapshot of her life, but is relatable to all as it is based on universal themes such as life, death, love and fear. Readers have conveyed to her that despite how it being such a personal story, they were able to make strong unique connections to it.

Julie will be at Chapters again today for signings (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.), and her book launch is this evening in Millbrook. You can also read more about The Camino Letters on her blog.  —words and pictures by Evan Holt

[The Camino Letters]

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