Check It is a student driven movement towards the deconstruction and prevention of sexualized violence at Humboldt State University (Arcata, California). This innovative program calls for bystander intervention in the event one witnesses an act or potential act of harm. Through providing information on rape, sexual assault, stalking, or dating violence, and emphasizing consent, their mission is to build community accountability within and outside the school and reject the dominative narratives that normalize sexual violence in today’s society.
CHECK IT (the verb): to respond in the moment to potential harm we may witness (specifically sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking). To intervene, to make a choice to do something when we see an absence of consent or a situation where someone may or is being targeted.
Creation
Humboldt State University's Sexual Assault Prevention Committee is a coalition of faculty, staff, students, law enforcement.,community members and students, teamed with advocates and counselors from Humboldt county’s NorthCoast Rape Crisis Team, with an aim towards the elimination of all forms of sexualized violence.
Though HSU's Sexual Assault Prevention work is through a survivor-centered framework, Check It was formed to integrate a program within which students can extract tools for becoming an active bystander.
Events
- Launch Party
The newly form group launched the program on February 21st 2014 in Humboldt State's Kate Buchanan Room. The party consisted of a video reel of the programs mission, introductory speeches, food, performances and a live DJ.
- Check It Party
The Check It Party was their second event, held on May 2nd 2014, and included performances, food, a live DJ and a consent themed (non-alcoholic) mix drink bar. Where the goal of the launch party was to inform the community of it's mission, this party was to provide resources for those interested in intervention practices and consent.
Check It & Media
In order to generate interest and promote their launch party, the Check It organizers started and participated in a "Why Do You Check?" campaign, in which members were asked to record videos of themselves explaining why they Check It and how they are interested and passionate not only the prevention of harm, but the importance of building community as well. They also documented their many flash mobs around campus, some that included momentarily interrupting lectures to pass out flyers, listen to music, and write about the Launch party on whiteboards.
Check It regularly uses Facebook to enhance their engagement with HSU students. It helped the team easily share their launch video, as well as their "Why Do You Check it?" videos. Just recently they held a mini-contest for free t-shirts to the club or school organization who's photo and answer to "Why Do You Check It?" gained the most likes.
Check It instagram uses photos from their inaugural events and from organizers to elicit awareness of the program to a wider range of HSU students.
External links
Media & International Social Change (ANTH 329) is a course taught through the Department of Anthropology at Cal Poly Humboldt by instructor Jessie M. Cretser-Hartenstein.