While the month of February is packed with love and romance, a UF student organization wants to address safe sex.
Sexual Trauma/Interpersonal Violence Education, or STRIVE, wants UF students to practice safe and consensual sex all year, especially around Valentine’s Day. From Tuesday to Thursday, the organization is hosting Cupid’s Consent Week, three events to educate students about sexual violence, said Rita Lawrence, the interpersonal violence prevention coordinator for GatorWell, of which STRIVE is a part.
Lawrence said one of the best ways to prevent sexual violence is to teach people about consent.
“If you don’t have consent, you don’t have sex; you have sexual assault,” she said.
Lawrence, 50, stressed that anyone can be the victim of sexual assault, regardless of sexual orientation or gender.
“Lots of people think, ‘Oh, you can’t have sex if it’s two women or two men, or someone who is transgender,’” she said. “We don’t want to leave them out.”
The events, which have been held annually since 2013, began Tuesday with an organization fair at the Reitz Union Terrace, she said. Students walked to different tables
and collected free condoms, lube and information about consent and safe sex.
One of the participating organizations, Eta Sigma Gamma, promoted their event Sex in the Swamp and offered condoms and lube to students answering trivia questions.
“True or false: Consent is the most important part of sex?” asked Rachel Basmaci, a UF health education and behavior sophomore. “Obviously that would be true because
you want to make sure both parties are informed.”
Magdalena Coca, a UF biology freshman, said it was exciting to hear from the different organizations.
“I just came along, and it was really fun to learn about all the different tables,” the 19-year-old said. “It’s important because some people don’t know that they’re doing some- thing wrong, and they’re not aware that it might hurt somebody else.”
Where to find free condoms on campus:
Student Health Care Center,
Gator Well locations
- Main Office, 655 Reitz Union Drive, Suite 1100
- Springs Complex, 2328 Fraternity Drive
- Jennings Hall, 1509 Museum Road
- Health Hut, locations vary around campus depending on the day
