STAND Against Sexual/Domestic Violence Conference

STAND Against Sexual/ Domestic Violence Conference

Text by Danielle Mayorga, Take Back the Night Co-Chair

 On January 22-23, 2011, UCSB hosted the first UC wide conference for student sexual/ domestic violence issue organizers: STAND Against Sexual/ Domestic Violence Conference.

Since some UC campuses do not have anti-sexual violence organizations, and some campus organizers do not receive any training before starting their work, STAND (Stratgeizing, Training, Advocating, Networking, Developing) Against Violence was developed as an opportunity for all UC’s to receive equal training on sexual and domestic violence issues, as well as for organizers to share ideas and network with each other. Student organizers from UC Davis, UC Merced, UCLA, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara attended the conference. The conference included two training sessions, beginner and advanced, hosted by Jeff Bucholtz of We End Violence, and Mia Mingus, activist, writer, and speaker. Both sessions provided outstanding information and tactics that the student organizers were eager to use. Many conference attendees hosted their own workshops, such as Sexual Violence and the Queer community, Engaging Men, Stalking Awareness, and Prevention Techniques.

The conference also included an inclusivity and diversity training, presented by Just Communities. Attendees also participated in an open plenary in which they collectively decided the structure and mission of a UC-wide sexual violence organizing coalition. The coalition, named SPEAC (Students Preventing Educating and Advocating in California) Against Violence, will be responsible for future STAND conferences, as well as planning statewide campaigns. UCSB will have 2 delegates on the coalition. Interested students should apply through A.S. Take Back the Night to represent UCSB on the coalition.

Conference Planning Committee:

  • Janelle Mungo, Planning Committee
  • Danielle Mayorga, Planning Committee
  • Elysse Madarang, Planning Committee
  • Doug Wagoner, Planning Committee
  • Laura Luttrell, Planning Committee
  • Travis Taborek, Planning Committee
  • Marilyn Dukes, Advisor