Creating a Safe Space to Foster a Healthy Learning Environment

Addressing Sexual Violence on Our Campus

The President’s Initiative

We have recommendations that will support Obama’s initiative to prevent sexual assault on college campuses.

Three Key Components

We have determined that these three areas are essential to addressing sexual violence on campus.

1Prevention & Education

2Reporting &

Response

3Evaluation &

Progression

Prevention & Education

Involving campus resources- Health Education Resource Center- Counseling Center- Civil Rights Office- Judicial Affairs - Office of Student Affairs

Off campus resources- Sexual Assault Counseling Information Services- Local Hospital- Police Department

Creating initiatives and certificate programs to become an allyPeer educators and facilitatorsCreating a website or only system to anonymous share experiences

1

2Reporting & Response

• Working to create stream line anonymous reporting system

• Educating campus administrators, faculty, staff, and students on reporting plan

• Educating all parties involved on appropriate response• Maintaining confidentiality at all times• Providing the victim and alleged with appropriate

resources

• Make sure that the law is addressed• The alleged and victim are both provided equal rights • No assumptions are made• Guidelines and expectations are followed

3Evaluation & Progression

Utilize resources and past data/ crime reports and ratesCome up with outcomes- We as a campus will educate and train the campus

community to better handle and address sexual violence through programs and initiatives

- The institution will better support the needs of both the victim and alleged by keeping information confidential and on a need to know basis

- The community and institution will be provided several opportunities to address concerns, thoughts, and progress of the movement to better address campus safety

STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING CONCERNS • Providing the appropriate resources and

making sure the campus community knows how to respond

• Supporting a campus wide training for administrators, staff, and students

• Keep things confidential making sure that the alleged is treated with as much respect as the victim

• Educating off campus and on campus community of the facts of sexual violence

• Create a certificate program to fill the need of prevention

• Reframing the issue of gender roles and social norms

• Engaging the entire campus/surround community in sexual violence safety campaign

Accommodating the needs of survivors

Ensuring the rights of those accused

Changing myths of sexual misconduct to facts

Sexual Misconduct Prevention

Changing the Paradigm

Education of consent

Physical ResponseEmotional Response

Post Traumatic Stress DisorderHelp Seeking Patterns

Special Accommodations- Living - Classroom space

Accommodating the unique needs of survivors

Ensuring the rights of those accused

What does the law say…..

Confidentiality, and anonymous reporting

Innocent until proven

No assumptions are made

This falls under the education component. We deem it important to educate those in the on campus community, but also the off campus community about the truth of sexual violence on campus.

Our action plan is to utilize the resources that are provided to us. We as professionals hope to develop a community wide campaign to debunk the myths of sexual violence. These myths include:- Rape is sex- Sexual assault is committed by strangers- Victims of sexual assault asked to be

assaulted by the way they dress- Only women can be victims of sexual

violence

Changing myths to facts

Sexual Misconduct Prevention

- Education- Have a clear set of expectations - Make sure to know the facts- Have a center that provides resources (Sexual

Assault Prevention Resource Center)

Possible tips-- Be aware of one’s surroundings- Walk, travel, and support in groups- Consent is #1- Do not let alcohol be a factor (drink responsibly)

Changing the Paradigm….

It is difficult to change the social norms, and gender roles of society. By engaging the entire community in a safety campaign, and creating initiatives such as the certificate program, as well as building strong relationships, the campus will be more prepared and act efficient and effective towards sexual violence.

We must first address common misunderstandings among all populations, campus safety, and sexual violence. It is not enough to say things are going to change but it starts with the administration and the presence of the “want” to change the campus culture.

Sexual activity requires consent, which is defined as voluntary, positive agreement between the participants to engage in specific sexual activity.Communicating consent:

Consent to sexual activity can be communicated in a variety of ways, but one should presume that consent has not been given in the absence of clear, positive agreement.

While verbal consent is not an absolute requirement for consensual sexual activity, verbal communication prior to engaging in sex helps to clarify consent.

Communicating verbally before engaging in sexual activity is imperative. However potentially awkward it may seem, talking about your own and your partner's sexual desires, needs, and limitations provide a basis for a positive experience.

Consent must be clear and unambiguous for each participant at every stage of a sexual encounter. The absence of "no" should not be understood to mean there is consent.

A prior relationship does not indicate consent to future activity.

What is consent?

Ask First:• A Campaign to encourage students to consent to sex

No means no…

»There are a lot of new initiatives

»Lots of collaboration that needs to take place

»Campaigns to get started

»And a budget to address…

What does it all mean?

? What we want our campus community to look like…

What’s Your Message?

Addressing campus safety and sexual violence as our number one priority…