Knightwatch
Our group,The Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team, began last year in the halls of Nepean High School. It was sparked when our founders picked up on the joking approach and misuse of terms surrounding sexual assault present at Nepean that constitute a rape culture. Wanting to change this, SWAT began as a watermark to put on the bottom of our posters - the extent of what we planned to bring to the school - and continued to grow from there. SWAT has and continues to evolve with the intent of creating a safe, respectful, and sex-positive environment at Nepean in which we may initiate open and honest discussions about consent and healthy sexuality.
In spring 2016, we launched our first batch of posters discussing consent and rape culture, professionally printed and far from the Dollar Store creations we originally expected, and introduced a survey to a sample population of students to determine the subject matter we wanted to focus on in the upcoming school year.
This autumn we’ve run a workshop in collaboration with Man-Up for grade 12’s surrounding consent, are in the process of bringing two condom dispensers and free condoms to the school, are campaigning for and bringing OCTEVAW’s month-long event Shine The Light to Nepean, moderating a workshop on bystander intervention, and planning more to come.
We’ve been lucky enough to introduce such events as a product of branching into our community, the generous support we have received from staff and students at Nepean, and our sheer determination to make it happen. We are a new and expanding initiative and welcome all support, suggestions, and new members that wish to contribute to our cause.
SWAT
THE INSIDE SCOOP ON SWAT
By: Claire Keenan
Nepean has many clubs, all reaching out to anyone and everyone’s interests and SWAT is just one of many. You may have heard the name but here’s a little info on the club itself. So, let’s start off with the basics, what exactly is SWAT? It stands for, Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team. A bit of a mouthful, I know. But, I guess explaining to someone why rape culture is still apparent in today’s society is also a mouthful so, it does eventually balance out.
SWAT’s goal is simple: promote healthy sexual activity. This could mean pointing out what’s good and bad in relationships trying to educate others when dealing with consent. Installing condom dispensers was just one step we took to promote safe sex!
But, SWAT also focuses on other topics. Anything you’re angry about, we’re here to discuss, share, and learn. Inequality is such a big topic and it can relate to so many sectors of our world.
We helped organized the Day of Purple, which was to educate others on the violence against women and in May, SWAT will be co-hosting Coffee House, with the theme of consent.
We want to educate other people. We want to be educated. We want to change the world.
