Consent is Golden
Campus sexual assault is one of the Deeds Not Words’ core issues. In the Texas legislature, several bills have been introduced regarding violence against women. Recently, we did a #DeedoftheDay and an Advocacy Training asking for Austin residents to come tell their stories as survivors and allies in the Capitol to support Senate Bill 970. SB 970 calls for only affirmative consent in any form of sexual intercourse and to be applied as law for campus assault investigations, policy which currently does not exist.
We were overwhelmed with the support we received and by the testimonies that were shared. One of testimonies we heard came from UT’s President of Voices Against Violence and campus assault survivor, Mia Goldstein, who spoke with us on her experience and why it’s important to share your story:
What compelled you to testify for SB 970?
I had attended Deeds Not Words’ “Hands Off” advocacy event and when they said, “you’re the experts, you can create tangible. You just have to show up,” it resonated with me. Sexual assault prevention is about changing the conditions and norms that allow violence to occur in the first place and this bill will provide the culture shift that we need.
I came to the realization about a month ago that being a student of UT I have an extreme amount of privilege and an amount of influence on the Capitol.
At UT, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 20 men experience sexual assault. Eighty percent of sexual violence is committed by someone the victim knows. But even one sexual assault is too many. While no single piece of legislation can solve the problem, this bill is certainly a step in the right direction. It just requires us to show up.
How did you prepare?
When I learned of the bill at the event, I thought it was great that a state like Texas was leading the change on campus sexual assault by concretely defining consent. Consent is about the sovereignty of one’s own body. And make no mistake about it, consent is a basic human right and it’s important that the state define it as such. Of course, “No means no” but really, only “yes” means “yes.
But for preparing, I just went for it and shared my story. It was easier because you’re talking to legislators, you can use your story without getting really nitty gritty and raw. Telling the basic and powerful enough details.
Could you tell me about why you wore the shirt “Consent is Golden”?
The second time [I was sexually assaulted], I was wearing the shirt that I am wearing now. It says, “Consent is Golden.” Above my bed were Sexual Violence Prevention Month posters and it’s almost funny how ironically terrible that is.
I know too well that this issue cannot be solved simply by awareness campaigns alone — it requires mandatory consent education that changes behavior and campus culture. But this bill, by defining consent for every college and university across the State of Texas, is a huge step forward.
What did you feel after testifying?
I can see myself there a lot more. When we [other members of Voices Against Violence] were leaving the Capitol, we said, ‘It was so easy, we should make it a weekly thing!’
If you are interested in taking action, call the Senate State Affairs Committee at 512-463–0380 and support affirmative consent as standard in campus sexual assault cases. If you are a student at UT and want to get involved with Voices Against Violence, follow there here.
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