Jane and Daniel Golonka started a SASH Club (Students Against Sexual Harassment) at Charles E. Jordan High School, a large, diverse school in Durham, NC with over 1,900 students in grades 9-12. Jane and Daniel believe that “the diversity of our school, the nearby universities, and the popularity of civic engagement in our area contribute to the success of our club.”
Why we started a SASH Club
Jane: Last year in 8th grade I was sexually assaulted in the classroom by a peer at my middle school. After I reported it, the blowback I received from peers and adults made me realize how important it is to educate people about these issues. If my peers had understood the definition of sexual assault, the “freeze” response, and how to respond to survivors, this would have buffered the trauma. Instead, my trauma was both invalidated and exacerbated.
Daniel: These issues were important to our family even before this happened to Jane. We want to give all students and adults this knowledge so that together we can shift the culture in our community and hopefully in society. Luckily, at our public high school we are able to work towards these goals with strong support so far.
How we started a SASH Club
Jane: Last year, my parents and I used the Stop Sexual Assault in Schools website as a resource. When we saw the national SASH club on the SSAIS website, we knew we wanted to start one at Jordan High School. I am a freshman this year and was a little nervous about starting a club, so it was great that my brother, a senior, offered to help.
Daniel: It was easy because the SASH Club website provided everything we needed to get started. We downloaded the How to Start a SASH Club Guide and used the template for writing an email to the principal in early August. Principal Taylor wrote back to confirm her support for the club and directed us to find an advisor and register the club with our assistant principal.
Jane: Our counselor suggested that we ask Ms. Beaudry to advise the club. Ms. Beaudry teaches social studies, including Women + Gender Studies. She is involved in school equity teamwork and co-leads the Spectrum GSA club. It seemed she’d be a great fit. We emailed her and received an enthusiastic response within minutes of pressing send. We met with her the week before school started. This is when I started to get really excited about the possibilities because our faculty advisor is knowledgeable and supportive–and already working in this space.
Daniel: Our faculty advisor helped us reserve a table at the activities fair and complete the forms we needed to register the club.
How we recruit members
Jane: We set up a table at the activity fair at our school’s open house in August. We told our friends, posted on our personal social media, and created an Instagram page. We followed all the clubs and sports organizations at our school on Instagram and they followed us back. Follow us @jhs_sashclub!
Daniel: Our parents shared with other parents on social media. At our first meeting we had about ten people show up. We walked around with fliers and donuts to tell people about our club. We also put catchy ads in the school announcements and talked to a writer from our student newspaper about the club. We posted flyers at school and reminders on social media. Within a few weeks we already had 20 attendees!
Our accomplishments in the early weeks of Jordan High School SASH Club
Daniel: We have recruited about two dozen members and raised awareness about the club. We have officers, a social media team, and a recruiting committee. I’m especially excited about the research and evaluation committee which will identify issues that Jordan students are most concerned about. It will work to evaluate the impact the club may have on the school climate. And Jane has done a great job establishing connections and partnerships.
Jane: I am really proud of the connections we have already made within the school, in the larger Durham community, and with the national SASH Club creator, Stop Sexual Assault in Schools. It is heartening to see so many people willing to support our efforts.
Logistical issues we faced starting a new club
Jane: We wondered how to reach students. Our school uses Instagram as an important way of communicating events and happenings around campus. We also use our club’s Instagram to recruit members, remind students of meeting times/locations, and post graphics to spread awareness and educate.
Daniel: The meeting time was an issue. Before school is a great time except that students who ride buses can’t get there in time. After school students also need transportation and athletes have practices or games. We chose to meet weekly before school. We created a Canvas page through the school to post announcements, notes from meetings, updates, sign-ups, and resources that any student can ask to access. We can also make school-wide announcements via this page.
Jane: Another challenge is creating school-wide educational programming for almost 2000 students. We are strategizing with Durham Crisis Response Center, our principal, and counselors to deliver presentations designed for smaller groups.
Other challenges we faced
Daniel: Initially we didn’t have many guys involved in the club, but after targeted recruiting efforts, males already make up about 20% of our members. We are trying to engage more young men through word of mouth and connecting with our athletic teams. We also hosted a booth with a tug-of-war game at our school’s homecoming festival, which attracted students of all genders to our booth, and some of the guys signed up for the club.
Jane: To be honest, there have been some negative responses to the club, including comments ranging from inappropriate to offensive to downright dangerous. This underscores the need for the club and the importance of educating students about language and behaviors which constitute sexual harassment or assault. Although these behaviors occur in the hallways and classrooms each day, they are largely ignored despite the harm they inflict. Overall, though, the response to our club has been overwhelmingly positive, which is very exciting for us. I am grateful to attend a school that supports the club’s efforts from administration to most of the students.
What is in store for the club this year
Daniel: Club members have offered several ideas. The SASH Club website and the SASH Club Power Topics are have also helped generate ideas.
Jane: Some of our upcoming events and future plans include:
- A booth at our school’s homecoming festival
- Guest speaker on intersectionality and sexual harassment, co-sponsored by other student clubs (Black Student Union, Asian Alliance, Spectrum Gay Straight Alliance)
- Sexual harassment educational/prevention programming with a local crisis response center
- Movie nights with other clubs
- Club field trip to the courthouse to visit the Special Victims Unit
- Supply drive for Durham Crisis Response Centers
- Educational programming geared towards athletes
- Consent Awareness Week
- Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month activities – February
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities – April
- Child Abuse Prevention Month activities – April
We encourage others to start their own SASH Club!
Jane: Start your own SASH Club to create a space to make friends while working together to end sexual assault and harassment. You can start a club at school, in your community, or virtually. Anyone can download materials about how to start a SASH Club, and there are resources on sashclub.org to help your club learn about important topics. Check out the Power Topics to educate yourself and others!
If you want to contact our club for information or support, please email [email protected] or DM us on Instagram at @jhs_sashclub.