Shana Krief is a student at Montpellier Business School (MBS). Founder of the Care About Us association, she stands out for her obsession with supporting victims of sexist and sexual discrimination, homophobia, racism and harassment. A look back at an initiative that goes beyond the simple student setting.
Can you introduce Care About Us?
The association was created in November 2020. It is a project that I have been working on since the end of the first confinement. It is a prevention association, but also student support. The goal is to make students’ lives easier. Currently, there is a lot of talk about student mental health, this was not planned, but it is very important.
Beyond this work, Care About Us’ actions are divided between four areas:
- Fight against sexism, sexual assault
- Harassment, cyber-harassment
- Discrimination
- Fight against risky behavior
How do you prevent and cure?
We first carry out general communication actions on each pole to talk about drugs or rape. This requires very visual communication to attract the eye and interest. This also takes the form of a five-minute interview with an author, student or influencer who can speak freely on any of the topics covered in Care About Us.
We are also setting up action projects with stands to do pure prevention and distribute goodies (breathalyzers, condoms, etc.). We also plan to give conferences and set up stands around SAM in the evenings. We also produce short films with a production company on each of our centers. On this subject, we are also working with the BNEM.
How do you support victims?
We have established partnerships with associations such as family planning or Zinc in Montpellier. Our first line of work will therefore be to support them in contacting these professionals free of charge, so that they can confide in us.
Then, we allow everyone to testify, anonymously or not, about their harassment or aggression for example. We have had each of our members sign a professional secrecy charter. Victims will be able to testify freely in any form they wish: drawing, anonymous video, writing, etc.
Finally, we would like to welcome victims to the premises of our association, in the form of meetings, to talk about the problems they encounter. We will also give them the opportunity to make regular appointments with professionals, psychologists or even accompany them to file a complaint.
How does Care About Us support students in psychological distress?
We started by doing internal studies with MBS students to understand how they feel. We made a communication on Instagram to remind the help numbers. With the school, we have strengthened the presence of psychologists on campus. We have planned a Tik Tok profile in which we will give advice on keeping morale up with cooking tutorials, sports tutorials, etc. In March, we created a well-being calendar. Every day, we will encourage students to take action to get better.
What was the trigger that pushed you to create this association?
I was always bullied in elementary school, middle school and high school. I actually developed a school phobia at the time and I didn’t receive any support. In January 2020, I was also the victim of a sexual assault during a party and I also received little support. Some victims go so far as to commit suicide because no one believes them and I wanted to help them.
How is the Care About Us association built today?
I planned to recruit 15 people, but 35 students applied. They loved my initiative. Care About Us brings together many students. Some even display the association’s sticker. What’s nice is that we touch on all the subjects. We also attract boys who are tired of being singled out and we educate on this subject, to say that it’s not just a man’s problem.
You denounce facts that sometimes happen in your school. How did she react to the creation of your association?
I was afraid of their reaction at first, but when I presented Care About Us after 6 months of work, they took it well. Some even applauded my initiative. Since then, I have only had positive emails and a lot of help. The administration made a point of ensuring that we had premises and subsidies quickly. MBS even wants to finance part of our short films.
Are you also interested in issues of harassment at work?
We are going to get closer to Balance ton Internship [initiative créée par des étudiants d’emlyon, NDLR]. Our ambition is to communicate about the bad practices that students see during internships. We want to make students aware of what can and cannot be said.
A final message for the students?
I want to remind you that the help provided by Care About Us is not just for MBS students or even college students. We are open to middle school students, high school students and even adults. Our association is not limited to Montpellier, but is aimed at victims throughout France. We are here for everyone!
Find Care About Us
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
