University of Michigan Ann Arbor and Flint campuses receive $150,000 to prevent sexual assault

Ann Arbor and Flint campuses to use grant money to expand prevention initiatives

ANN ARBOR, Mich.The University of Michigan Ann Arbor and Flint campuses have received $150,000 from the Michigan State Police to bolster sexual assault prevention initiatives.

The money, which comes from the Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program (CSAGP), was awarded to the U-M as part of the “Inform. Empower. Prevent. Let’s End Campus Sexual Assault” initiative.

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Started by Michigan first lady Sue Synder in 2015, the program has $1 million in grant funding to distribute among public and private colleges and universities within Michigan.

The Ann Arbor campus will receive $21,091 while the Flint campus will receive $125,175 for various programs and initiatives to prevent sexual assault.

Grant monies in Ann Arbor will support Michigan Men: An Expedition of Manhood, a new program jointly developed by U-M’s Fraternity and Sorority Life, the Office of Student Conflict and Resolution as well the U-M’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center.

The program will provide individuals a safe space and resources to have discussions of masculinity and develop their own identity as it relates to masculinity. Michigan Men was designed to help students create and support different masculine identities as well as to give them the tools to engage in healthy relationships.

“Masculine identity and what it means to every person is incredibly diverse and individualized,” says Jim McEvilly, case manager at the Office of Student Conflict Resolution.

“However, it is rare to encounter focused conversations with other men or masculine-identified folks around what their identity means to them, how they live out their identity every day, and the challenges and joys they may encounter.”

Credit: Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy (Flickr)

The hope of the program is that by engaging fraternity men and male-identifying persons in workshops about masculine identities, relationship building and consent, that there will be more pushback against sexual misconduct within fraternity culture.

Grant monies in Flint will be put toward current programs by the Center for Gender and Sexuality as well as resources about inclusive sex education, healthy masculinity and other student and staff requested subjects.

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