This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Consent has taken center stage in the presidential race, but it's a topic that universities, victim advocates and the criminal justice system have been wrestling with for years.

Misunderstandings about consent — how to get it, why it's necessary and when it's not possible for a partner to give it — are part of the culture and attitudes that foster sexual assault. Broader understanding of consent may be one key to prevention.

On Nov. 2, The Salt Lake Tribune will host "Confronting Rape Culture: A Conversation about Consent," a panel discussion moderated by Editor Jennifer Napier-Pearce. The event (which you can stream here) set for 7 p.m. at the University of Utah's S.J. Quinney College of Law, is free and open to the public.

"Understanding consent is a necessary step towards dismantling rape culture," said Napier-Pearce. "This discussion aims to inform the community and provide resources to continue the conversation on and off campus."

The panelists are:

• Investigative journalist Jessica Luther, author of "Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape." Her work on sports and culture has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Vice Sports, and other national and Texas publications.

• Nubia Peña, a training and prevention education specialist at the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She has worked as a victim advocate and recently earned a law degree.

• Saeed Shihab, a U. student who volunteers as a victim advocate on the Rape Recovery Center's 24-hour crisis hotline. An engineering major, he also is the risk manager for the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, which partners with the center on awareness efforts.

• Kiman Kaur is president of the U.'s chapter of Students for Choice. She is a gender studies and environmental science student who has served in internships at the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Organization for Women and the U.'s Women's Resource Center.

• Cara Tangaro is a criminal defense attorney with expertise in legal issues surrounding sex crimes, which she formerly prosecuted for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.

The S.J. Quinney College of Law is at 383 S. University St. in Salt Lake City. Guests are invited to arrive at 6:30 p.m. to explore a photography exhibit of images from The Tribune's ongoing coverage of campus sexual assault. The discussion will begin at 7 p.m. in the sixth-level Moot Courtroom.

RSVP at bit.ly/tribsexassault. The event will be live streamed on sltrib.com and re-broadcast on KCPW 88.3/105.5 FM. A recorded video will also be available.