NMU is partnering with Michigan Tech on a $12,000 grant-funded project titled "Innovative Sexual Misconduct Prevention Programming Based on Student's Assessed Needs." This is among 13 projects, including one exclusive to NMU (see related story here), funded through the State of Michigan Campus Sexual Assault Grants.

Experts from the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCEDSV) will visit both NMU and Michigan Tech early in the winter 2017 semester to lead focus groups with students from athletics, student government, residential living and other student organizations. The feedback will be used to create future workshops specific to each university on two topics: supporting male survivors; and bystander intervention for root causes (to teach students how to disrupt sexist behavior at its earliest stages so it does not grow into verbal or physical expression). Related social media campaigns will also be developed.

MCEDSV experts will return to both schools in March to conduct training for facilitators so that each campus will have qualified individuals to present student workshops on the two topics. Those workshops will be delivered around Sexual Assault Prevention Awareness Month in April and Domestic Violence Prevention Month in October. 

According to the proposal, workshops created by MCEDSV experts in the field of domestic and sexual violence will provide educational programming to male populations and teach students how to disrupt sexist behavior at its earliest stages. The goal is to empower students to speak up, get assistance and prevent and/or break the cycle of violence.

With the workshops and trained facilitators in place, NMU and MTU will be able to continue this project on a yearly basis.