Being Barnard Violence Prevention Program
Being Barnard is the college's sexual violence education, prevention, and outreach program. The mission of Being Barnard is to provide a holistic approach to sexual violence prevention through campus-wide campaigns, educational programming, one-on-one health consultation services, community building, outreach, advocacy, and intervention. Sexual assault and interpersonal violence affect students of all genders, identities, and backgrounds and are widely recognized to not be isolated issues but part of a much larger societal picture. As such, it is our hope that by addressing a multitude of interwoven topics, such as healthy relationships and sexuality, affirmative consent, personal boundaries, self-care, bystander intervention, and social identities and power, we may help reduce, and one day eliminates, sexual assault and violence from our campus and global communities.
Being Barnard is a Confidential Office
Location: Lower Level of Reid Hall (inside Primary Care Health)
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and alternating Fridays - 1 pm to 4 pm
- For in-person appointments, students will be expected to wear a mask for the duration of the appointment and produce their green Co-Verified clearance screen.
- Students may still book virtual appointments outside of the above hours. To book a virtual appointment, please email beingbarnard@barnard.edu.
Email: beingbarnard@barnard.edu*
* Please note that this email is not meant for emergency use and is not monitored 24/7.
Resources
Barnard strives to provide numerous health, wellness, violence prevention, and survivor support resources for our students. To learn more about our confidential and non-confidential campus resources as well as valuable off campus resources and online resources, click the link above.
Confidential and non-confidential resources available on campus, as well as off campus and online resources for those seeking support for experiences of sexual or intimate partner violence.
Calendar of Events
See what events Being Barnard has coming up and explore our past events.
Request a Program
Are you interested in having a Being Barnard workshop facilitated for your class, residents, student organization, or department? Workshop topics range from affirmative consent, building and maintaining healthy relationships, bystander intervention, and ways to support those that have experienced violence.
Student Advisory Team for Violence Prevention and Support
Clery Internship
The Clery intern provides support in promoting awareness of the impacts of power-based violence, skills to prevent it, promoting a culture of consent and healthy relationships, and increasing visibility of institutional resources like Columbia Health Sexual Violence Response and The Wellness Spot Health Promotion Program. The internship is a 1 year paid opportunity funded by Barnard alum Constance Clery (Barnard ’53) and her husband Howard Clery in the memory of their daughter Jeanne Clery.
Learn more and apply here.
Being Barnard is the College’s ongoing sexual violence awareness initiative created with the input of students and staff. Through a comprehensive array of programs offered by Being Barnard staff and numerous campus partners, students can learn skills, engage in discussion, and gain insight & support in the following important social areas: wellness, relationships, intervention, social identities & social power, and violence education. For more information on each of these areas, please read below.
Intervention
We’ve all been in situations where we have seen something or heard something that we knew just wasn’t right. But sometimes we don’t know how to intervene safely or effectively. These programs focus on building skills in bystander intervention, advocacy, and changing social norms so that you can help your community be a safer and healthier place.
Relationships
How do you foster and nurture your relationships with your friends, family, partners, and most importantly, with yourself? These programs focus on relationship building, communication, learning and setting personal boundaries, active and ongoing consent, conflict resolution, and so much more! We’re here to help you learn the tools to build and sustain positive, healthy relationships with yourself and others.
Social Identities & Social Power
Every human being is made up of a complex set of identities: our gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, country of origin, and so much more. The ways in which these identities intersect affect how we are able to walk through the world. These programs focus on the intersections of identities and the personal and social ramifications of power, privilege, and oppression.
Violence Education
Violence can come in many forms - physical, emotional, or verbal. Whether it comes in the form of a microaggression, an unwanted touch, verbal or emotional threats, or physical assault, violence can have far-reaching negative effects on our personal well being and the well being of our communities. These programs focus on recognizing and naming violence in all of its forms, learning the skills and resources to help survivors of violence, unpacking privileges that allow cycles of violence to continue, and advocating for a shift to a society where violence of any kind is no longer threatened or tolerated.
Wellness
How do you take care of your whole self - mentally, physically, and emotionally? Being a student can sometimes be overwhelming and, often, self care is the first thing that falls by the wayside. These programs focus on tending to mental health, sexual health, nutrition, sleep, and even hobbies so that you can learn the skills to balance caring for academics with caring for yourself.
* Being Barnard is a constantly evolving initiative that seeks to grow and expand with the needs of our campus community. If you have suggestions for future programming or areas of focus, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your suggestions and comments to BeingBarnard@barnard.edu*
Quickly explore the information available on the Being Barnard page!
What is Consent
Have questions about what consent is (or isn't)? This page gives definitions and links to education.
Bystander Intervention
Learn about the 5 steps to Bystander Intervention, ways to intervene, and how to request a Bystander Intervention program for your organization or department.
Sex and COVID-19
Safer sex guide and communication tips for navigating relationships during COVID-19.
On May 30, 2020, Barnard College informed its community that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights had issued a Final Rule under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Final Rule defines the meaning of “sexual harassment” (including forms of sex-based violence), describes how schools must respond to reports of misconduct falling within the new definition of sexual harassment, and sets forth a grievance process that schools must follow in these specific covered cases before issuing a disciplinary sanction against a person accused of sexual harassment.
On August 14, despite the repeated objections of many of those institutions — including Barnard — and tens of thousands of individuals, the Final Rule took effect.
To learn more about the Final Rule and what this means at Barnard, please see the Title IX office's extensive, explanatory page.
If you wish to learn more, please contact Elizabeth Scott-Francis, Barnard’s Director of Non-discrimination & Title IX. Ms. Scott-Francis can be reached by phone at (212)-854-0037 and by email at nondiscrimination@barnard.edu OR escottfr@barnard.edu.
Being Barnard is a confidential, multi-faceted office dedicated to prevention, education, and support surrounding issues of sexual & interpersonal violence.
Being Barnard provides the following services:
- Campus-wide programming
- Topics such as bystander intervention, healthy relationships, consent, healthy sexuality, and much more
- Learn more about workshop and training opportunities Workshop & Training Opportunities
- Office hours: Monday, Tuesday, alternating Fridays - 1 pm to 4 pm (by appointment)
- Come in to seek support; ask questions about sexuality, relationships, identity, boundary setting, etc.; seek referrals to on and off-campus resources
- One on One Affirmative Consent & Healthy Relationship Consultations
- Have questions about sex, sexual health & challenges, sexual violence, relationships, or identity? These 1-hour appointments are a great way to explore those questions and so much more in a shame-free, supportive environment
- Student Group Support
- Support, resources, & training for student organizations
To schedule a one on one appointment, or inquire about student group support, email beingbarnard@barnard.edu
To request a workshop, submit the Google form at least two weeks in advance of the requested workshop date.