Many know the Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team from its plays during IntroDUCKtion every summer. But for members of SWAT, that’s not even the half of it. Throughout the year, SWATers put on workshops for any department or class that requests them. It’s a mix of script-writing, retreats, peer education and acting — all sex-positive and all in the name of ending sexual violence.
Name: Ruchi K. Mehta
Major: Psychology, human and family services
Year in school: Senior
Hometown: Evanston, Illinois
What was it like when you first joined?
The night before my very first SWAT workshop, I was a nervous wreck. It was for a women and gender studies class at eight or nine o’clock in the morning, and I kept waking up and having dreams about being late to the workshop.
What do you get out of SWAT?
I think I know a lot better how to deal with someone who told me they were sexually assaulted.
How would you respond to someone who told you that they were sexually assaulted?
I don’t think there’s ever an end-all, be-all answer to that question. Everyone is different. But I’d tell them I believe them, and that I’m sorry for what happened to them… To know that what happened to you was wrong — that’s powerful.
Name: Ayasha Benninghoven
Major: Advertising, minor in history
Year in school: Junior
Hometown: Coos Bay, Oregon
Did something inspire you to participate in sexual violence prevention?
I come from a difficult background. I spent a lot of my childhood watching women not being respected.
What have you learned through your work with SWAT?
Statistics were the stuff that really shocked me. It also really helped me in my work as a Resident Assistant. You live with all of these people you don’t know, and they tell you about their lives. And not everyone is looking for an answer when they’re telling you something. They just want someone to listen.
Name: Lindsey Brown
Major: Political science
Year in school: Senior
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
What was initially appealing to you about SWAT?
I love that it’s peer to peer. It’s an intense message presented in an accessible manner. We start a conversation instead of present a lecture that everyone hears over and over again.
What’s your favorite role to play in SWAT workshops?
I tend to play the sassier characters. Sometimes it’s a mean barista that slut-shames another barista after she gets hit on. It gives us a platform to talk about survivor-blaming.
How do people react when you tell them you’re in SWAT?
Oh, they’re not surprised at all. They expect it. I’ve always been very vocal about gender and sexual violence. And I’m generally the first one to call people out on stuff.