The University of Colorado-Boulder has been aggressively trying to curb sexual assault among students.

Sexual assault has been a high-profile issue on campus since the recent conviction of CU student Austin Wilkerson. Wilkerson was convicted of raping a fellow student in 2014, and sentenced in August to two years on work release and 20 years' probation. The case prompted an outrage in Boulder and across the nation.

As classes begin at the university this week, all incoming Freshman will be required to take a course called “Bystander Intervention.” While there will be a focus on sexual assault prevention, the course will teach students “life skills” as they navigate the world away from home.

Instructor Teresa Wroe said, “The skills you need for dealing with someone who has had way too much to drink or has hurt themselves are the same for situations where there’s a potential sexual assault. So that bystander framework helps people see, 'Oh this is relevant to me”.

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By Prakriti Neogi