Graphic by Allison Lee
The Student Wellness Advisory Board (SWAB) is hosting Healthy Relationships Week from Nov. 18 to 22.
The week consists of different opportunities for the Pepperdine community to learn the qualities of healthy relationships and engage in difficult conversations surrounding the topic. Stacey Lee, the health, wellness and resilience education program coordinator, said healthy relationships do not only pertain to romantic relationships, but also the relationship with yourself, friends and co-workers.
“We want to provide education and resources about all the different types of relationships,” Lee said.
Throughout the week, SWAB will host Do’s and Donut’s, Happy Honey Hour and convocation, a screening of the “Laughing Matters” documentary, Take Back the Night and a clothing drive. Students and faculty are invited to attend all events.
Senior and SWAB co-president Alex Case said their organization has been mindful of the intersectionality of the topic and how it can affect various groups differently. They have reached out to groups on campus such as Student Government Association (SGA), Greek life, Crossroads and Intercultural Club Affairs (ICA).
“We really want to include everyone in the conversation,” Case said. “I think that’s so important because this is something that affects everyone.”
Lee said the event she is most looking forward to is Take Back the Night. This event will be focusing more so on domestic dating violence and sexual assault. Different groups perform a medium relating to the topic, such as spoken word, poetry and dance by Dance in Flight.
“It gives me so much hope to know that people want to be involved in this work,” Lee said. “They want to help and partner with us to really make sure that our campus community knows that healthy relationships.”
Lee said this will be a place for both students and faculty to be vulnerable in sharing their experiences with violence or how they may be impacted by violence.
“I think that it’s most powerful when you hear it from a peer, or you hear it from your professor or you hear it from someone that you work with,” Lee said. “I really want to make sure that people know — yes, this happens, but we’re a community that doesn’t stand for it.”
In regards to Take Back the Night, Lee said it is important for students to take care of themselves and to know when they should stay in a room or leave if they feel uncomfortable.
“We really want to educate in a sensitive manner, so that we don’t bombard people with information or make them feel overwhelmed,” Lee said. “Because I don’t think that true learning or experience works that way.”
The first thing to do when knowing someone who is experiencing difficulty in a relationship is offer an empathetic and nonjudgmental space for them to talk, Lee added.
“People who have experienced violence have been in a situation where power and control has been exerted over them,” Lee said. “Then, they no longer have the power and control or agency over their body or their choices. We, as supporters and friends, need to stand beside them and give them as much power over their life as they can.”
Case said she wants students to know that their team provides a continuing space for these individuals. They have relaxation rooms, mental health awareness week and therapy dogs.
“I would say the main takeaway is just to know that they’re supported,” Case said. “We’re really a community that’s here for each other, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of what happened — just really creating that safe space for those students and to have these meaningful conversations.”
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Email Allison Lee: allison.m.lee@pepperdine.edu
