At University of Puget Sound, Preventing Sexual Assault Starts With Education

“I’ve always been interested in sex education because I think it's a holistic way to look at human life,” Volk says. “The more research I did into harm reduction, the more I realized education was the answer. You can’t expect someone to respect boundaries if they’ve never been told what a boundary is, and that applies in a lot of arenas. I see everything that falls under sex ed as understanding how to communicate with other people.”

BRAVe’s programming covers a variety of interrelated topics under the umbrella of sexual assault awareness, addressing issues of healthy relationships, sex positivity, consent, masculinity and rape culture, intimate partner violence, and more. Volk also has worked to incorporate what she's learned from their classes. She’s especially grateful for the African American studies faculty who helped her understand the role of intersectional identities in harm reduction and the history of sexual violence as a tool of oppression and marginalization. 

Volk is active in a lot of student groups and activities on campus. In addition to working as the BRAVe coordinator, she is a member of the track and field team, president of the Panhellenic Council, and a volunteer with Peer Allies, a student group that provides confidential support and a safe space for survivors of sexual assault. Volk’s work has been well-received on campus, but she would like to see better sex education implemented in K-12 education to model healthy behaviors from a younger age.

“Making correct and scientific sex education accessible to everyone is the goal,” Volk says. “Over the long term, education will have a bigger impact than a single protest or march to raise awareness, and it goes both ways—I’ve learned a lot in this position and from all the people who mentored me and made it possible for me to do this work that I’m so passionate about.”

As she looks forward to graduation and considers pursuing a master’s degree, Volk plans to continue advocacy and education work, either through a teaching career or a PhD in human health and sexuality. In any case, she isn’t finished learning and sharing knowledge with others to help their peers lead happier and healthier lives.