Sexual Assault Awareness Month
This list has been curated by Being Barnard. We welcome any event focused on sexual violence awareness and prevention. Please contact Being Barnard to include your event.
For questions, comments, or concerns email beingbarnard@barnard.edu.
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2025 Events
Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: The Diana Center Lobby
Drop by to learn about Being Barnard as a campus resource, the support it offers, and other student support services available on campus. Learn more about events this month as we observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Futter Field
Drop by to meet the Clery Interns and learn more about this year’s Clery Lecture Series topic.
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Studio 3, Barnard Hall
Join Being Barnard and the Barnard Fitness Center for a yoga session. The purpose of this session is to create a safe space to nourish and pause, turning inwards with curiosity in meditation and slow-flow practice. Yoga mats and blankets will be provided. Wear clothes you feel comfortable in and bring water. No experience is needed!
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Hybrid
LeFrak Theatre, Barnard Hall & Zoom
Register here
At this year’s event, Barnard’s Clery Interns will welcome a panel of experts to analyze the “trad wife” — or traditional wife — trend proliferating on social media. What does the phenomenon of the “trad wife” mean for conceptions of gender roles and our understanding of healthy relationships? What are the circumstances that have led to the rise of this trope? How does an understanding of the “trad wife” trend inform work in sexual violence and relationship violence prevention?
By the end of this event, attendees will be able to:
- Gain the ability to identify pervasive and regressive narratives surrounding relationship independence and autonomy.
- Understand their proximity to regressive narratives and how to use our knowledge and resources to help people in our community who are most impacted by said narratives.
- Engage our community in proactive ways to counter this phenomenon by spreading awareness and inspiring those attending to continue to educate others.
- Educate attendees on individual ways to empower themselves to fight back against these narratives.
About the Panelists
Dr. Kirsten Swinth - Fordham University
Dr. Barbara Katz-Rothman - CUNY
Dr. Kathlene McDonald - CCNY
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Location: LeFrak Theatre, Barnard Hall
What You'll Learn:
The trainers are all MALIKAH certified and have years of global experience. Our expert black-belt instructors compiled a curriculum derived from various martial arts styles, built specifically for a modern day woman. We teach techniques centered on de-escalation- techniques that allow you to leverage the power of your own body and voice so that you can feel safe. All of our classes cover basic blocks, strikes, pressure points and verbal de-escalation. Our higher level classes teach on the ground grappling and combination strikes and blocks. All of our courses are designed to maximize your muscle memory and play to your personal strengths. All of our self-defense classes end with a healing space because we believe that empowerment starts with the heart.
Learn more about MALIKAH here.
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Futter Field
Being Barnard will be honoring Denim Day on April 30 with an activity and resources table. From 11 am to 2 pm, join Being Barnard and participate in activities, take stickers, and learn about the history of Denim Day, and how wearing denim became a method of supporting sexual assault survivors. Wear denim when you visit or take a picture and tag @BeingBarnard to be featured on our social media.
In 1999, the Italian Supreme Court overturned the rape conviction based on the assumption that the perpetrator was unable to remove the women's jeans himself because the jeans were too tight. Italian women in Parliament protested by wearing jeans, which led to the rise of a campaign. The first Denim Day was established in Los Angeles, CA by Peace over Violence.
Campus Partner Events
Time: Tuesday, March 25, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Ever wanted to learn how to be an active bystander, better ally, ambassador of enthusiastic consent, and empathetic supporter of survivors of violence all at the same time?
In this fun, engaging, and interactive program, you will learn:
How to hone your intuition and situational awareness,
Active bystander, allyship, and verbal de-escalation skills,
What enthusiastic consent is and how to set boundaries, and
“Badass Basics,” a.k.a. basic self-defense, and how to sign up for a full-contact adrenaline-based self-defense course near you!
Safety, Assertiveness, Violence Prevention, and Empowerment (S.A.V.E.) is a gender-inclusive program that employs everything the organization Girls Fight Back has learned about campus safety over the past 18 years and is presented by a speaker who is trained in self-defense, personal safety, and victim advocacy.
Duration: 90 minutes
About the speaker
Nicole Snell (she/her) is a dynamic, award-winning international speaker, TEDx Speaker, facilitator, trainer, author, and self-defense expert specializing in sexual assault and violence prevention education, gender-based violence prevention, personal safety, and empowerment-based self-defense. She is committed to ending violence in all of its forms by educating others with self-defense skills and advocating for change. She is the current CEO of Girls Fight Back.
About the organization
Girls Fight Back is the world-renowned personal safety and empowerment self-defense program for women and girls since 2001.
Time: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Lerner 555
Take a much-needed pause from your studies and immerse yourself in a world of relaxation and mindfulness at the Self-Care Fair. Join us for an enriching experience where you can create your personalized self-care kit, build with LEGOs, express yourself through painting, and test your knowledge with quiz games for a chance to win prizes. Unwind with mindfulness activities led by Counseling and Psychological Services, explore stress management and sleep hygiene tips with Alice! Health Promotion, and relax in a calming space. Treat yourself to ice cream, make a friendship bracelet, and enjoy a variety of food and beverages. This rejuvenating event is exclusively open to Columbia students (including affiliates). Mark your calendars and let us help you unwind and decompress.
Time: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Lerner Ramps (Morningside Campus)
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: Kravis Hall (CUIMC Campus)
Join us in taking a stand against sexual violence on Denim Day 2025 – whether in person or virtually. By wearing denim, you’re making it clear: there is no excuse for sexual assault or rape, especially not what someone was wearing.
Stop by to take the Denim Day Pledge, participate in some myth busting, and have the SVR Peer Educators take your photo for social media. You can share why you wear denim and your commitment to creating a community of compassion and accountability – where survivors are believed and supported.