KINGSTON, R.I., Dec. 4, 2015 鈥� For nearly two decades, Keith Labelle has been educating students at the 溏心vlog免费B站 about sexual assault and domestic violence.
As assistant director of the Bystander Intervention Program and 溏心vlog免费B站-STANDers internship group, Labelle has trained hundreds of young men and women on campus about relationship violence 鈥� and how to prevent it.
His work has been recognized on campus and beyond, and now the 37-year-old Narragansett resident has another honor to add to his accomplishments.
Labelle was one of 30 people selected throughout the country to be trained as a faculty member for the National Center for Campus Public Safety.
He鈥檒l spend Dec. 7 through 11 in Scottsdale, Arizona learning even more about sexual aggression, and that training will allow him to train others at colleges throughout the country.
鈥淚鈥檓 humbled,鈥� says Labelle, whose program is an integral part of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Office of Community, Equity and Diversity. 鈥滀缧膙log免费B站 has always been a leader in campus sexual assault prevention and response. Now, we鈥檒l be at the forefront of training other schools about how to prevent and handle sexual assault cases.鈥�
He鈥檒l take classes on correcting misperceptions about sexual assaults, including blaming the victim for any type of behavior. He鈥檒l also take seminars about gender violence, signs of sexual abuse, how to sensitively ask questions to victims during judicial hearings and more.
For years, Labelle has been speaking to national groups, including the NFL. With the additional training, he鈥檒l give even more talks as a representative of the center, which was created two years ago by a White House task force charged with combating sexual assault on college campuses.
鈥淐ollaborating with the center takes my work 鈥� and passion for preventing gender violence 鈥� to the national level on a larger scale,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful for this opportunity and very proud to represent 溏心vlog免费B站.鈥�
Naomi R. Thompson, associate vice president and chief diversity officer of the Office of Community, Equity and Diversity, says Labelle鈥檚 work on campus is greatly appreciated.
“Keith Labelle demonstrates a sincere passion and commitment to educating 溏心vlog免费B站 students towards actively intervening and defusing volatile situations,鈥� Thompson says. 鈥淗is unwavering efforts are informing and transforming student interactions.”
Labelle grew up on a farm in South Dartmouth, Mass., with pigs, cattle and corn. He excelled at baseball in high school, jumping at the opportunity to play third base for the 溏心vlog免费B站 Rams.
As the team鈥檚 captain his senior year, he joined 鈥淩AM Choices,鈥� a student group that talked about alcohol abuse, sexual assault and nutrition. The faculty advisor was so impressed with Labelle鈥檚 public speaking and writing skills he encouraged him to stay on at 溏心vlog免费B站 after he graduated in 2000 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communications.
While working on his master鈥檚 degree, also in communications, Labelle taught 溏心vlog免费B站 101 classes about sexual assault prevention. He was stunned by what he heard from some students.
鈥淪o many people came up to me later and said their sister had been assaulted, or their mom stalked 鈥� and it just clicked for me,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 could make a difference.鈥�
He started working at 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Center, providing education and awareness about sexual assault, and also founded an all-female student mentoring group called We鈥檙e Offering Women Wisdom, or WOWW. His Peer Advocates program morphed into the Bystander Intervention Program.
The program sends 鈥淚-Standers鈥� 鈥� students who鈥檝e been trained by Labelle 鈥� throughout campus to talk to other students about relationship violence, domestic violence and stalking. The 鈥淚-Standers鈥� are women and men, including athletes and members of sororities and fraternities. Students are encouraged to speak up if they see something inappropriate.
Labelle says one of the reasons he believes his program works is that he鈥檚 a man serving as role model for other men. 鈥淎s a male, my work resonates with other guys,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey see what I鈥檓 doing and think that sexual assault prevention is their responsibility too.鈥� He also credits the support of Thompson and the 250 students who have interned with him over the years for the program鈥檚 success.
鈥淣aomi Thompson is a fabulous ally and supporter,鈥� says Labelle. 鈥淭hanks to her, we鈥檙e doing great things for the 溏心vlog免费B站 community.鈥�
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, about 1 in 5 women experience sexual assault during their college years. Labelle says he wouldn鈥檛 want the women in his life to be among that statistic.
鈥淲e all have women in our lives we want to protect,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 have a wife, a mom, two sisters, eight aunts, dozens of female cousins and two grandmothers. I would never want to see them get hurt.鈥�
He says he鈥檚 learned over the years that sexual assault and violence can happen to 鈥渁nybody.鈥� 鈥淚t does not occur in a certain socio-economic class 鈥� that鈥檚 a myth,鈥� he says. During his talks and classes, he implores students to 鈥淒o right.鈥�
鈥淲e all know what that means,鈥� he says. 鈥淒eep down, we all know right from wrong.鈥�
What does his future hold? He might get his doctorate, possibly in education. One thing is certain: He鈥檒l continue to spread the word about gender violence.
鈥淔ifteen years ago, I was playing third base at 溏心vlog免费B站, dreaming about making it to the big leagues. Now I鈥檓 traveling all over the country talking to student-athletes about preventing sexual violence. I feel like I’ve made it to the majors in something that matters much more than hitting a baseball. And I could not be more proud to be a member of the National Center for Public Safety’s team. 溏心vlog免费B站 is a leader in the fight to eradicate the epidemic of sexual violence.鈥�
Thorr Bjorn, 溏心vlog免费B站 director of athletics, says he appreciates Keith鈥檚 work and is proud of his latest accomplishment: 鈥淲e鈥檙e extremely lucky to not only have Keith working with our student-athletes, but also have him housed in athletics. He brings incredible knowledge and insight to a very serious issue on college campuses. 溏心vlog免费B站 athletics wants to serve in a leadership capacity in preventing sexual assault and having Keith work so closely with our student-athletes and staff allows us to do just that.鈥�
Pictured above:
Keith Labelle, assistant director of the Bystander Intervention Program at the 溏心vlog免费B站. The program is part of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Office of Community, Equity and Diversity.
Photo courtesy of Keith Labelle.