By Mika Klubis, Contributing Writer
On Monday, the Office of Sexual Respect and Title IX hosted violence-prevention speaker Kyle Richards in the Bream Gym for his presentation “We Are The Change Here.” Richards is an activist and advocate for sexual harassment prevention, as well as a recipient of former President Joseph Biden’s It’s On Us Courage Award. The event was part of this fall’s Greek Week programming organized by the Office of Student Activities and Greek Life.
Richards began with a personal anecdote detailing the sexual assault he had been through as a child, and how deeply it impacted his later years. He never felt he could discuss his trauma, as it made him feel “emasculated.” He explained that he used sports as his “escape” because vulnerability was not an option for him.
“A lot of you grew up in households where you couldn’t express your feelings,” he said, addressing the room.“I get it.” Despite his continued personal struggles, he became the captain of his college football team, as he observed how sports built community.
Right before his junior collegiate season, he said that something happened that “changed everything.”
Richards explained that at a party in his hometown, he noticed “a young man who couldn’t take no for an answer” harassing a girl who was clearly intoxicated. He and his friend Mike intervened, preventing the rape of the young woman, but, were both shot and severely injured by the perpetrator in the process.
He stated that while in the hospital, all he could think about was Mike. When he finally saw him, he told him he loved him. Richards made a full recovery and vowed to play his upcoming season in honor of Mike, who was left partially paralyzed. Yet he wondered, “Why did it take this situation for a man to say he loved his friend?”
Kyle Richards Speaks to Students (Photo Mika Klubis/The Gettysburgian)
Richards said that at that point he realized that he needed to change his mindset and face his past. “You can be a man and still ask for help,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and openness with others. “We all have stories, we’ve all felt a lot of pain.”
After graduating, a former coach put Richards in touch with Kristin’s Fund, an organization that advocates for sexual and domestic violence prevention. He began to tour the country to speak on his experiences, focusing on the importance of male vulnerability and men’s health in relation to violence prevention.
“At the end of the day, be an active bystander,” he concluded. “Set standards to keep people safe. Create a community of vulnerability and openness, and “if you see something, say something.”
