Brandon prof hopes graphic novel about sexual violence will be used as resource at campuses across Canada

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Peggy

A Brandon University professor hopes a new graphic novel about sexual violence, trauma and survival that she created will be used as a resource used by post-secondary campuses across Canada.

The graphic novel is titled It Happened to Me and It’s Not Okay: Sharing Stories of Sexual Violence, and began as a project documenting the stories of survivors, says Candice Waddell-Henowitch, an assistant professor at the southwestern Manitoba university’s department of psychiatric nursing.

It tells a story that begins in a space many students are familiar with — a college party — where previous survivors witness and prevent a sexual assault. They support each other and share their stories.

Waddell-Henowitch interviewed 10 people, whose experiences of sexual violence were used to create the composite characters featured in the graphic novel.

“They were able to provide a lot of really good advice as to how someone who’s experiencing this can cope through it and how someone can get the support they need,” Waddell-Henowitch said. “There’s still a lot of work that we have to do in order to make it safe to disclose and … to support victims and survivors.”

It Happened to Me, which is illustrated by Brandon-based artist Merissa Mayhew, will be made available as a free resource.

A graphic novel sits on a table. — Waddell-Henowitch says the graphic novel has been designed so it can be shared across Canadian campuses. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)

Waddell-Henowitch hopes students will find it relatable and engaging, and that it will be used on campuses to help in preventing or healing from sexual violence.

The back page of the book includes information about local resources like the Brandon University Students’ Union and the Sexuality Education Resource Centre, but that list can be changed based on the campus the novel is being distributed, Waddell-Henowitch said.

The red zone

It Happened to Me is being released during what’s referred to as the “red zone” — the first six to eight weeks on campus, and a time when post-secondary students experience a higher risk of sexual violence on Canadian campuses, Waddell-Henowitch said.

Jessica Laxdal, Brandon University’s sexual violence education and prevention co-ordinator, said about 50 per cent of sexual assaults on campus occur during that period.

“When we think of sexual violence we often go to the extreme, but … it covers many different areas,” Laxdal said — something reflected in It Happened to Me.

A woman stands in front of a sexual education resource board. — Jessica Laxdal, Brandon University’s sexual violence education and prevention co-ordinator, says about 50 per cent of reported sexual assaults on campus occur during the first six to eight weeks of school. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)

“For those who have experienced it, [the graphic novel] can really help normalize and validate that what happened to them is wrong, and hopefully it brings the courage for them to speak out and get the support they need.”

Renee Ferguson, a recent Brandon University graduate, helped organize a 2023 Take Back the Night rally in the city. She wants to encourage conversations about sexual violence to ensure people are not left in the dark when something happens to them.

“These things happen more than, I think, anyone would like to admit,” Ferguson said. “Being aware of that would at least help people to look out for each other.”

A sexual assault can be an incredibly isolating experience, Ferguson said.

That makes events like Take Back the Night and something like It Happened to Me important, since they can connect students to resources before a crisis happens, and help normalize conversations about sexual health.

Starting conversations

One of the key takeaways from the novel is to listen to people who share their stories of violence, said Waddell-Henowitch.

“If they can find the support that they require, they can find someone to talk to, they can find someone to believe them, then their recovery is going to be a lot better,” she said.

Sexual health education is also key to preventing sexual violence, said Laxdal. Brandon University is partnering with the Prairie Mountain regional health authority to offer regular testing on campus for sexually transmitted diseases and infection, and is hosting roundtable discussions on sexual health education.

She also hands out supplies like condoms and has a team of volunteers on campus to talk to students about what they are seeing when it comes to sexual health and violence.

People carry signs for Take Back the Night calling for an end to sexual and gendered violence. — Renee Ferguson, left, is shown at a 2022 Take Back the Night rally in Brandon, and helped organize a similar march the following year. She wants to see It Happened To Me used as a resource in schools across Canada. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)

But Ferguson says it’s hard to play catch up if students don’t have resources before they get to university, and she also hopes to see It Happened to Me shared at high schools and post-secondary schools.

“They might not come to campus with a clear understanding of what behaviour is appropriate and what’s not appropriate,” Ferguson said.

“I think we’re still struggling with a lot of people not even seeing what happened to them as not OK.”

It Happened to Me and I’m Not Okay will have its official book launch next Tuesday night at Brandon University’s Evans Theatre.

For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services via this government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.