FYCARE
FYCARE: First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Education Workshop
What is FYCARE?
First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Education (FYCARE) workshop is an interactive discussion on campus sexual assault. Nationwide, 1 in 5 women will experience a sexual assault during her undergraduate years. Males can be sexually assaulted, too, though at a much reduce estimate than women. The perpetrators of these assaults are most often acquaintances—friends, classmates, or dating partners—of the victim. Despite this, many discussions of sexual violence focus on the ways individuals should protect themselves from strangers. FYCARE, on the other hand, focuses on the ways that all students can be involved bystanders who can look out for the safety of one another.
What will the program be about?
FYCARE workshops focus on the dynamics of sexual assault, ways to support a survivor, understanding consent, and campus and community resources. The majority of workshops are held in your residence halls and facilitated by peer educators, specially trained undergraduate students. Facilitators lead students through activities and engaging discussion in a relaxed atmosphere. FYCARE facilitators draw upon their own experiences as students on this campus to keep the workshop informative and entertaining.
Why is this program mandatory?
In an effort to create and maintain a safe campus community, the University of Illinois has mandated that all students attend one FYCARE workshop during their first semester on campus, both first-year entering and transfer students. FYCARE evaluations show that the vast majority of past attendees found the workshops both interesting and beneficial. We hope students never need to use this information, but statistically, it is likely that they will. Survivors of sexual assault on campus often reach out to their friends, partners, and family members for support and understanding. This makes the workshop invaluable!
What’s the history of the program?
The program became mandatory in the fall of 1996, in large part due to a grassroots effort from students in response to campus events. Peer institutions frequently look to the FYCARE program as a model for similar programs. Regular evaluations find that FYCARE participants are affected positively in terms of their knowledge about rape and support for survivors. Each year, the FYCARE program undergoes revisions to stay on the cutting edge of sexual assault prevention research as well as the student needs of this campus.
How do I register for a workshop?
To register for your FYCARE workshop, click here. Workshops are offered in a variety of locations on campus, primarily in the fall semester, with a few spring offerings.
How can I become a workshop facilitator?
Interested in facilitating FYCARE workshops? Community Health (CHLH) 126 is a three credit hour course offered to all university students that prepares future facilitators of the FYCARE program. For more information, see the Affiliated Courses page.
Who can I contact for more information?
The Associate Director for Prevention of the Women’s Resources Center, coordinates the First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Education program. If you have any questions, problems, or concerns, please contact the program staff at fycare@illinois.edu or 217.333.3137.
