Some advocates against sexual violence are calling on the University of Iowa’s Interfraternity Council for not taking enough action in its newest plan to bolster its sexual violence prevention education. 

Tensions boiled over in a series of Instagram posts following a Sept. 1 post in which the council, outlined its plan that its members are committing to over the next year to prevent sexual violence. 

“As we evaluate the relationship surrounding sexual violence and masculinity, we acknowledge the work that needs to be done in our community,” the post reads. “We also recognize that empty statements can do more harm, and we want to commit to action.” 

A volunteer group, known as WRACtivists — a group that is not officially affiliated with the Women’s Resource and Action Center under the Division of Student Life — posted a counter response to the council that included seven bullet points for preventing sexual misconduct. 

In the post, WRACtivists responded to the council’s claims, stating that the UI and the council are not transparent enough in their handling of sexual misconduct. 

The council currently governs 17 fraternities in Iowa City, which represents over 1,000 men.

The council’s post presented a three-tiered action plan for addressing sexual misconduct. 

Through this new action plan and through work with WRAC and the Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Violence Prevention Education, the council said it will provide a well-rounded approach to educating members about preventing harm.  

In the September Instagram post, the council pledged to: 

• Have representation in the Authentic Masculinity in Fraternity Cohort program 
• Have members apply to the Women’s Resource and Action Center peer educator program 
• Make sexual violence awareness and prevention a council-wide philanthropic endeavor

Programming Assistant at WRAC and WRACtivist Jada McDonald said the council’s post was only cutting at the surface of a deeper issue. 

“I do think it was pretty surface-level actions that they were making, and they weren’t actually actively involved in ending sexual assault,” McDonald said. 

McDonald said she believes the council is attempting to assist in efforts to reduce sexual harm but work still needs to be done. 

“No one wants their community to feel unsafe,” McDonald said. “No one wants sexual assault to happen. And I’m sure that people in the council and fraternity members would agree. But are you actually doing the work that it takes to prevent harm that you are causing? That’s a different question.” 

As for what can be done, McDonald said that there needs to be a cultural shift in fraternities, and that has not been properly addressed. McDonald also said that transparency surrounding punishment for those who commit sexual assault is something that still needs to be worked on. 

IowaLink Program Instructor and WRACtivist Nina Morrison said the consequence for perpetrators of sexual assault is vague and that consequences are essential in the deterrence of sexual misconduct.

WRACtivist Madison Bruce expressed dissatisfaction with the council’s post saying the steps that are outlined are insufficient both in substantive content and execution. Bruce criticized the IFC’s lack of a timeline and specific details for their plan. 

IFC pledges to work with community on improvements

Chad Warrick, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, responded via email after a request for an interview by The Daily Iowan. Warrick wrote that sexual misconduct is unacceptable, and the organization is looking to hold itself accountable.

He wrote that the council acknowledges that work is needed in areas regarding toxic masculinity in the community.

“At the core of violence prevention work is that of authentic masculinity,” Warrick wrote. “As we evaluate the societal issues surrounding sexual violence, we acknowledge the work that needs to be done in regard to toxic masculinity in our community.” 

As for prevention efforts the UI is engaging in, Warrick noted strategies intended to educate students before arrival and on campus and during orientation.

These resources include an online sexual misconduct prevention course educating students in areas surrounding consent, bystander skills, campus policies, and resources. Incoming undergraduate students are required to attend a bystander intervention workshop during OnIowa! 

According to IFC’s Bylaws, last updated in April 2023, 100 percent of the new member class of each UI fraternity chapter “must attend at least one Sexual Violence Awareness community educational per semester.” 

There are also prevention educators who work with faculty to incorporate gender-based violence and discrimination protection. 

The UI also receives services from the Rape Victim Advocacy Program, which provides a 24/7 confidential crisis line for those who experience sexual violence or any related issues. 

RVAP provides ongoing counseling, culturally specific programs, and support groups. Those impacted by sexual violence can connect with the program as they see fit. 

RELATED: Protest outside UI fraternity after recent reported sexual assault 

They can choose to participate in traditional support, such as speaking with a trained counselor, or receive nontraditional assistance, including interest-based affinity groups that provide safe spaces with an optional counselor. 

The program works to aid people in all capacities, including protestors of sexual violence, law enforcement who respond to assault calls, and service workers. 

RVAP’s Vice President Michael Shaw said the program is working to change the cultural environment in the community — whether it’s frat houses, athletic programs, or organizations outside of the university — to make it less likely that people will cause harm. 

“We know that the nature of trauma and the harm it has on people is based on the context of who has power and who’s willing to leverage their power to cause harm in the community,” Shaw said. “We see people that have been harmed and cause harm in different settings, what our responsibility to that is to be available to support people that are impacted by that violence.”

WRAC works to educate on sexual violence

WRAC, located at 230 N. Clinton St., is an organization working to create equity for individuals and communities of all identities with a focus on women. In collaboration with the Rape Victim Advocacy Program, WRAC trains certified peer educators to become active bystanders and end sexual and relationship violence. 

WRAC Director Linda Kroon wrote in an email to the DI that the organization has collaborated with Fraternity and Sorority Life to implement systems for preventing violence education.

“To improve educational quality for FSL members, WRAC, RVAP, and FSL have collaborated to implement an educational system for violence prevention education,” Kroon wrote. “Workshops are designed to scale and build upon previous education.” 

The program provides workshops to train participants in safe and effective ways to address inappropriate, offensive, or dangerous conduct, according to a release from the organization. 

The Authentic Masculinity in Fraternity Cohort program consists of a meeting once a month where trained peers lead discussions on topics, such as gender socialization, with the intention to dismantle stigmas around masculinity. By dismantling these stigmas, the program looks to redefine what it means to be in a fraternity.