When I first started learning about consent, so much of what I read and learned focused on the importance of valuing and making space for everyone to be able to say “no”. While I definitely agree that learning to accept
Making space for “maybe”
Feeling through rejection
Rejection… for some folks, just the thought of it makes their hearts ache, their bellies rumble and their hands sweat. However, in many ways rejection is a regular part of everyday life. Since we aren’t mind readers who can anticipate
What Does It Mean to “Hold Space for Someone?”
The statement to hold space for someone is becoming more popular. But what does this mean? I have thought about this concept more and more as I continue to support survivors and even as I support loved ones through hard
Do you want to hug? Creative ways to ask for a hug
Hugging. Some of us hug our friends, our partners, our family and even people we’ve just met. Some us just don’t like hugs and that’s awesome too. Hugging can be a way to comfort someone, to show someone you care,
Resource Review: Zines for people who have caused harm
***This blog post was written by AVP volunteer Anabelle Bernard Fournier When you visit the AVP office or support space in the basement of the Student Union Building, you may notice a beautiful wall with strings full of zines
Reflecting on Support and Consent
*written by Elise Fermina Freire, one of our amazing volunteers* Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about support and consent, even more so now that I am volunteering with the Anti-Violence Project (AVP). Support and consent are linked, as both
FOSTA/SESTA is Gender-Based Violence
These days, like all days, it feels like there is so much harm happening in the world. Craigslist recently closed down all of its Personals sections (across all sites and locations in the world), Instagram now censors its search tool—every
What is it like to volunteer with AVP?
As you may have heard, AVP’s annual volunteer training is beginning in May this year instead of September! If you are thinking of applying to volunteer with AVP, you may have already checked out the Volunteering with AVP page on
Harm Reduction and Consent
Humans are messy creatures. Interacting with each other, especially in vulnerable ways, comes with risk. Although usually unintentional, we hurt each other often. In this current society we are taught entitlement to bodies from a very young age. For example,
How dress codes reinforce systemic violence
Dress codes are messed up in many different ways. Schools, gyms, and businesses often use dress codes to encourage what they call “professionalism” in their spaces, and to limit distractions caused by outfits that some might deem too revealing or