DSU hosts fourth annual Sexual Assault Prevention Conference
Delaware State University welcomed students, advocates, and professionals Friday for its fourth Annual Sexual Assault Prevention Conference, a gathering focused on Creating Brave Safe Spaces for survivors and allies alike. Held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center Parlors, the event brought together experts from across disciplines to examine trauma, healing, and the cultural forces that shape conversations about sexual violence.
“Sexual trauma shatters more than a moment,” said Mone’t Floyd, a trauma therapist and founder of Grace Center Mental Health Services. “It disrupts trust, identity, and connection. But healing is possible—it just requires intentionality and space.”
In her session titled “Pathways to Healing: Healing After Sexual Trauma,” Floyd outlined key pillars for recovery, including safety, stabilization, reparenting, and reclaiming. She spoke passionately about the importance of reclaiming one’s story as a tool for empowerment.
“Reclaiming your story is about ownership,” Floyd told attendees. “It fosters a shift from shame to empowerment. It helps survivors redefine themselves—not by their pain, but by their strength.”
Her talk emphasized trauma’s far-reaching effects—often leading to isolation, self-blame, and difficulty forming secure bonds—and offered therapeutic practices aimed at restoring safety and emotional regulation.
“Through reparenting, victims become their own safe haven,” Floyd said. “It’s about self-nurturing, practicing compassion, and rebuilding that lost trust in self and others.”
The conference featured several voices, each addressing different facets of sexual violence prevention and healing. Dr. Reginald Moore, a motivational speaker and educator, brought both fire and humor to his talk, “Safe and Brave Spaces: All Students are Valued, Heard, Empowered.”
“When respect is low, rebellion is high,” Moore said. “People will manipulate you with guilt, obligation, fear. The key is to know your value—and not let others define it by what you do, but by who you are.”
Moore challenged attendees to reflect on the ways society devalues individuals—particularly women—and how that devaluation creates environments ripe for abuse. He urged students to protect their emotional space and not get lost in comparison culture.
“Don’t let your ‘what’ define your worth,” he said. “You are not your job, your clothes, your followers. Value yourself for who you are becoming.”
D’vontae Scott, a senior business student, was moved by Moore’s message. “By working collaboratively across student groups, we have the opportunity to build intentional spaces that promote open dialogue, emotional well-being, and a stronger sense of community for all,” said Scott.
Attendees were also given the chance to hear from Delaware native and journalist-filmmaker L. Burner, who presented a screening and discussion of her documentary “The Rise of Eve,” which examines gender-based violence from a global perspective.
“I wanted to show how misogyny manifests across time, cultures, and even subcultures,” Burner said. “From chastity belts in the 15th century to misogyny in modern hip-hop—these are deeply rooted systems.”
The conference also featured presentations by other esteemed professionals:
Tonjie Reese, founder of Eleven24, led “Reclaiming Our Power: Sex Positivity, Boundaries, and Consent in Black Communities,” exploring healing through liberation and cultural understanding.
Kim Graham, Director of DSU’s Trauma Academy, shared insights in “Weaving Our Broken Pieces into a Tapestry of Resilience and Healing.”
Dr. Maya Khalid-Janney, Executive Director of SOAR, presented “Understanding Consent: A Foundation for Supporting Survivors of Sexual Abuse,” drawing on her work in clinical psychology.
“We don’t just need safe spaces,” Floyd said. “We need brave ones too—where silence doesn’t win, and where healing can begin.”
Article by Devin Bonner