Fall Gathering 2014

Fall Gathering 2014:

Sexual Violence on College Campuses

Guest Speakers: Carine Mardorossian,

Dr. William Boerner, and Courtney Loiacono

This year, the Women's and Gender Studies Program gave focus to a very important issue within the WGST field. Carine Mardorossian is the NeMLA President, an English professor at the University at Buffalo and the author of Framing the Rape Victim, a publication which discusses sexual violence and the complications of using the term "victim." In her discussion, Mardorossian advocated for the usage of this term, claiming a denouncement of the term implies the notion that "nothing happened" and the problem is "internal to the victim" (Mardorossian). She also discussed the connections rape and sexual violence have to our society's definitions of "masculinity," "survivor" "agency,"and the term "victim" in general.

Dr. William Boerner closed Fall Gathering by leading a discussion of sexual violence concerning Fredonia's campus in particular. WSU's president, Courtney Loiacono helped direct the group's discussion of trigger warnings, victimization, and the implementation of a sexual violence discourse throughout childhood and young adulthood education systems.

For more details on Mardorossian's presentation and Fall Gathering, check out the Spring 2015 edition of Shifting Standard, which will be posted on the WGST homepage.

To join or receive updates about the Sexual Violence task force, contact Dr. William Boerner at william.boerner@fredonia.edu

For more information on Carine Mardorossian, consult her page at the University at Buffalo