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Massey Harassment Pamphlet

currently, this is the pamphlet that Massey has regarding sexual violence on campus

Massey Response to Sexual Violence

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115029105/massey-university-accused-of-mishandling-allegations-of-a-violent-sexual-assault

“A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by a university colleague has spent months trying to have her alleged attacker removed from her workplace.

Rape crisis services and student advocates are calling for Massey University to act after the woman, a graduate student at the university’s Palmerston North campus, was left bleeding and bruised following the alleged assault on March 10″

The head of school stated that both students “have the right to study at Massey, and we need to devise a system where both can feel safe and able to concentrate on their work…My hands are somewhat tied in offering to do more than this as I cannot restrict his ability to complete his studies.”

When the victim tried to explain her case, and how having the attacker on campus made her feel unsafe, “he expressed sympathy but told her quitting her PhD might be the best option”. They basically told the victim that she shouldn’t continue her PhD, placing the blame and punishment on her instead of the attacker.

“Five months later, the alleged perpetrator is still studying on campus and has been employed as a tutor working alongside young female students”. Not only has the attacker not been suspended or in any way punished, he has managed to gain employment within the university. It is frustrating and disappointing that Massey hasn’t taken the victim’s alligations more seriously.

There is a peaceful protest this week on Manawatu campus to take a stand against Massey’s decision.

This recent case of an attack against a Massey student further proves that there is a need for some kind of intervention or education on campus. “Massey University currently has no clear procedures around how to report sexual violence, what steps will be taken to ensure the safety of victims and other students, and how to treat alleged perpetrators.”

Fortune Cookie Research

I used fortune cookies as a way to include the conversation starters for a few reasons. Firstly, fortune cookies commonly accompany food, so makes sense to introduce them while participants are eating their meals. Secondly, people know how to interact with them; how to open them up and read the slip of paper out loud. Finally, I made the fortune cookies out of fabric so that they are reusable, and to minimise the mess and food wastage of edible cookies.

 

Origin: “Fortune cookies are often served as a dessert in Chinese restaurants in the United States and other Western countries, but are not a tradition in China. The exact origin of fortune cookies is unclear, though various immigrant groups in California claim to have popularised them in the early 20th century. They most likely originated from cookies made by Japanese immigrants to the United States in the late 19th or early 20th century. The Japanese version did not have the Chinese lucky numbers.”

I wanted to research the background of fortune cookies to make sure I wasn’t being culturally insensitive or appropriating the Chinese culture. After learning that they are not strictly Chinese, and that they were actually invented in the USA, I feel a lot better about using them in my project. I will also modify the cookies with colours, flavours, and shapes to further distance myself from the traditional cookies.

 

Traditional Fortune Cookies

I found this video tutorial which explains how to make your own fortune cookies, which I used for the Super Crit cookies. The only issue I had with this was that they are difficult to shape (you only have 30 second before they start to crack) and the fact that my cookies often turned out soft and chewy rather than crispy.

I trialled this recipe here and here.

 

Fabric

There are also non edible versions such as fabric fortune cookies. These are made out of felt and are sewn together so that they are reusable and can have fun patterns.

 

I trialled this option and it turned out pretty successful. I like how I can use different styles of fabric, and how they can be reused and filled with new conversation starters. They are also more fun than normal fortune cookies.

 

Origami

Another non edible version is origami cookies made out of circles of paper. They can also be made from rectangles to create a less traditional fortune pouch. Another form of origami fortune is the 3D fortune cookie.

 

I tried this version too, which was slightly harder and less effective than the sewn version. I think that these looked cool, but the paper could get ripped or damaged so I’m not sure if these are exactly reusable. A benefit to paper cookies is that you can print on the inside, and then fold open the cookie to reveal the conversation starter.

 

Bad Fortunes

Cards Against Humanity launched a range of fortune cookies with negative fortunes such as “You will probably die of a heart attack or something” and “It’s too late to stop climate change”.

 

Shop Bought

 

After trailing a few of these options, I think that a potential solution may be to have shop bought fortune cookies to ensure the shape, taste, and texture are perfect. I can then fill these remade cookies with my own conversation starters, and potentially create a box or some kind for packaging to link it to my project’s style.

 

I managed to open up the remade cookies, fill them with my own slip of paper, and then reshape them before they cooled. I also tried to add colour but this looked unappetising and made the cookies soggy.