{"id":136,"date":"2014-11-01T00:34:43","date_gmt":"2014-11-01T00:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wou.edu\/westernjournal\/?p=136"},"modified":"2015-04-28T19:26:23","modified_gmt":"2015-04-29T03:26:23","slug":"breaking-the-silence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/breaking-the-silence\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking the Silence"},"content":{"rendered":"
Addressing sexual assault on campus<\/h5>\n
By Laura Knudson\r\n Editor-in-Chief<\/pre>\n
With national discussion building in response to the 89 colleges under investigation for mishandling sexual assault cases, one thing has become glaringly hard to ignore: sexual violence can happen anywhere.<\/p>\n
Since the start of this school year, half a dozen sexual assault cases have been reported at Western, according to Dr. Gary Dukes, vice president of student affairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far we\u2019ve had the most consistent amount of referrals we\u2019ve ever had,\u201d said Andrea Doyle Hugmeyer, assistant director of Abby\u2019s House, a resource and referral center available to persons of any gender for a number of issues.<\/p>\n
In previous years, Doyle Hugmeyer said reports were scattered, with some months yielding no reports. So far, Abby\u2019s House has had weekly referrals from sexual assault survivors since fall term started.<\/p>\n
In 2013, six reports of sexual assault were filed with Campus Public Safety, and seven anonymous reports were filed with the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs, according to Campus Public Safety\u2019s published statistics, indicating that there may have been as many as 13 reported sexual assaults in 2013, or as few as six.<\/p>\n
Although there is a rise in consistent reports already this year, it does not necessarily mean it\u2019s happening more on campus. Doyle Hugmeyer said she hopes it means people are using Abby\u2019s House as a resource more than before.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if people are reporting more because there is more support, but I think there is more awareness because of the culture,\u201d said Nancy Minnick, Campus Public Safety Committee Scribe.<\/p>\n
Students acknowledge sexual assault as a reality on campus. Whether it is sexual, verbal, or on social media, \u201cassault happens here,\u201d said Brittany App, Senior ASL major. \u201cIt happens everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur campus doesn\u2019t differ from anywhere else,\u201d said Bryan Kelley, junior Humanities major.<\/p>\n
Studies conducted since the 1980s have shown a consistent figure of one in four college women reporting that they survived either rape or attempted rape, at some point in their lifetime, according to oneinfourusa.org.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil that number is gone, it will always be an issue,\u201d said Marissa Onshus-Womble, Advocate of Abby\u2019s House.<\/p>\n
A 2007 national rape study funded by the Department of Justice found 11 percent of college women who experience rape, report it to the police.<\/p>\n
Rape is the least reported of all violent crimes according to a 2009 National Crime Victimization Survey.<\/p>\n
DEFINING SEXUAL ASSAULT<\/h3>\n
In attempts to diminish sexual assault, the Obama administration launched their \u201cIt\u2019s On Us\u201d campaign in September, aimed at engaging men in prevention measures, effectively responding to assault by increasing transparency in the federal government\u2019s effort to enforce laws.<\/p>\n
However, campuses like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found students were unsure of what constituted sexual assault. An MIT survey showed 17 percent of female students fit the sexually assaulted description, but only 11 percent checked yes on the survey when asked if they had been.
\nDukes said victims are not always sure if they have been assaulted.<\/p>\n
According to Western\u2019s sexual misconduct web page, sexual misconduct is defined as non-consensual sexual contact. Sexual contact includes \u201ctouching of any private body part, including, but not limited to genitalia, buttocks, anus or breasts of another or causing such person to touch genitalia, anus, buttocks or breasts of another.\u201d It also includes attempts to have non-consensual sexual contact, the threat of such contact, sexual exploitation, emotional\/psychological abuse, sexual harassment and stalking.<\/p>\n
The webpage categorizes behavior non-consensual if \u201cno consent is freely given, the person is substantially impaired by alcohol or drugs, or the person is otherwise without the physical or mental capacity to give clear consent.\u201d
\nWhen it comes to consent, Abby\u2019s House supports the \u201cYes means yes\u201d campaign. \u201cYes means yes\u201d legislation adopted in states like California, put the focus of sexual consent on mutually agreed-upon sexual activity. Consent is mutual and continuous and requires partners to pay attention to physical and emotional cues as well.<\/p>\n
Verbal consent should be repeated often, said Onshus-Womble.
\n\u201cJust because you consented one time doesn\u2019t mean you will the next,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you have the right to change your mind,\u201d said Jessica Fontaine, another advocate for Abby\u2019s House.<\/p>\n
Both said students should consent every step of the way whether it be kissing or having sex.<\/p>\n
For students who may still be unsure of whether or not they were assaulted, Fontaine said it was simple.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe difference between someone who was raped and someone who wasn\u2019t is that the person who was raped was in the presence of the rapist,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s the only factor.\u201d<\/p>\n
THE SURVIVORS YOU DON\u2019T HEAR ABOUT<\/h3>\n
When most people hear the word rape, they visualize a woman being assaulted by a man, Doyle Hugmeyer said. But there are other victims we fail to acknowledge.<\/p>\n
Males can be sexually assaulted, as can persons in same-sex relationships.<\/p>\n
One in six men are found to have experienced sexual assault before age 18 according to 1in6.org.<\/p>\n
 <\/p>\n
\u201cAbuse and assault is linked with asserting power and trying to control power happens in various forms,\u201d Doyle Hugmeyer said. \u201cYou can be assaulted by someone of any gender or any sexual identity.\u201d<\/p>\n
The reason we don\u2019t hear about male sexual assault is because men are typically viewed as physically stronger and more powerful than women, Doyle Hugmeyer said. \u201cTo be sexually assaulted means that the victim is put in the position of being controlled,\u201d which is something we associate more with women, she added.<\/p>\n
When men report sexual assault it \u201cbasically feminizes them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Similarly, one reason we may not hear about same-sex relationship violence, is due to the \u201cthe layer of additional stress and barriers because some people are homophobic,\u201d said Doyle Hugmeyer.<\/p>\n
Despite stigmas and myths that sexual assault only happens to women, students acknowledge that it can happen to everyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that men can and sometimes are sexually assaulted, be it by men or by women,\u201d said Isaac Golden, Junior Psychology major.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jenna Beresham, senior ALS major agreed saying, \u201cAnyone of any race, gender, sexuality and so forth can be sexually assaulted.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that there are a lot of men on our campus that share these beliefs in the sense that they want to see change happen,\u201d said Doyle Hugmeyer.<\/p>\n
SURVIVING IN A VICTIM-BLAMING CULTURE<\/h3>\n
Victim blaming culture refers to an attitude that the survivor is at fault for their assault because of their behavior.<\/p>\n
Deborah Thompson, executive director of Sable House, an organization in Dallas, serving domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, said, commonly used excuses for assault include: \u201cShe shouldn\u2019t have been wearing that low-cut blouse,\u201d \u201cShe was out late,\u201d and \u201cShe didn\u2019t fight it off.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI absolutely do not think any girl alive has asked to be assaulted,\u201d said Bridget Conklin, senior English major.
\nYet, some feel clothing options do play a role.<\/p>\n
\u201cSexual assault can be intensified by choice of clothing and is a factor, but if someone intends to sexually assault, it doesn\u2019t matter what is being worn by others,\u201d said Jennifer P., senior.<\/p>\n
The drug enforcement agency of the Department of Justice lists alcohol as the number one most common used drug in sexual assault<\/p>\n
Dress attire and alcohol consumption could be reasons why some colleges aim sexual assault education at risk reduction, teaching students how to be safe.<\/p>\n
Doyle Hugmeyer says while discussions of risk reduction are important in terms of staying conscious of safety, instructing potential rape victims to dress more modest or drink less should not be the only way to address sexual assault. It takes responsibility off the perpetrator, she says, and can be difficult to identify when discussion boarders on blame, ultimately making things worse for survivors.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a hard line to identify and try not to cross,\u201d she said. \u201cOn one end it\u2019s important to acknowledge how to stay safe on campus. But if that\u2019s the strongest method that prevails in our community, we aren\u2019t doing it the right way.\u201d
\nIn terms of improving how sexual assault is addressed on campus, \u201cEliminating the victim-blaming culture is the biggest thing we can do that,\u201d said Fontaine.<\/p>\n
PUTTING FOCUS ON THE PERPETRATOR<\/h3>\n
Focus should be placed on \u201cnot raping,\u201d Doyle Hugmeyer said, and focusing on the offenders.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe get a lot of models of sexual behavior from the media and often times sexuality is tied to power and control,\u201d she said. \u201cSo if we were to change the model to reflect different behaviors like getting consent every step of the way, that would be huge in seeing sexual assault diminish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most importantly, \u201cIf a woman tells you she was sexually assaulted – believe her,\u201d said Doyle Hugmeyer. \u201cThat\u2019s a big step in putting the attention on the perpetrator. It means that we are validating the experience.\u201d
\nThese conversations have occurred for quite some time, said Doyle Hugmeyer. \u201cI think now is an appropriate time to formalize the conversation and put things into action on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Combating assault with campus-wide conversation<\/h3>\n
A men\u2019s social justice group is in the works for Abby\u2019s House, lead by advocate Kevin Gutierrez, in attempts to start a conversational group, discussing topics related of masculinity and gender norms.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is to create a campus discussion, said Doyle Hugmeyer. \u201cWe hope that clubs emerge out of that group that would essentially do educational programming and activism related to meet these issues from a male ally standpoint.\u201d<\/p>\n
After receiving grants from the WOU foundation, advocates also put together a media campaign, creating sexual violence posters and informational video clips.<\/p>\n
A phone app will also be available on iTunes in a few weeks, providing campus and community resources and information on what to do if you experience sexual violence.<\/p>\n
Through Western\u2019s Campus Against Sexual Assault grant (CASA) from the U.S. Department of Justice, Abby\u2019s House is looking into funding a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. Doyle Hugmeyer said they would hire a \u201cSAME\u201d nurse on campus or in<\/p>\n
Dallas to be available for \u201csafe kits.\u201d When a person is sexually assaulted they are able to seek a safe kit, which includes DNA swabbing, vaginal examination, urine samples and other forensic procedures.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs of right now the closest nurse to do that is the Salem hospital,\u201d Doyle Hugmeyer said, which can be a problem if the student does not have transportation.<\/p>\n
In creating campaigns and starting discussion groups, the hope of Abby\u2019s House is to create many opportunities for students to seek help. \u201cIt\u2019s something every campus should be moving toward,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIdeally we\u2019d like to have an environment where sexual assault doesn\u2019t happen,\u201d said Dukes. \u201cI generally feel like we are doing a good job, but clearly we can always do a better job.\u201d<\/p>\n
REPORTING SEXUAL ASSAULT<\/h3>\n
When asked what the first thing a victim should do after being sexually assaulted, Doyle Hugmeyer said, \u201cIt\u2019s going to vary by victim, but go to a safe place.\u201d She said this could be the counseling center, or to a member of the CARE team, a friend\u2019s house or even to an Resident Assistant.<\/p>\n
Abby\u2019s House is also a place where victims can seek help from trained members in regard to referrals for sexual assault or just to come in and talk, Fontaine said.
\nThe first step is confiding in a campus resource or someone you trust, Fontaine said. \u201cWe can\u2019t have justice for our survivors if we don\u2019t know that it happened to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
To report a sexual assault or seek help regarding sexual\/domestic violence, contact Abby\u2019s House at 503-838-8219, abbyshouse@wou.edu or stop by their location on the bottom floor of the Werner University Center, room 106. To file an official report for criminal action, call Campus Public Safety at 503-838-8481, or the Monmouth Police Department at 503-838-1109. To file a student conduct report, contact the WOU Office of Student Conduct at 503-838-8930.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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