Sexual Violence Prevention at Star University

1. Sexual Violence Prevention at Star University By Erin Boyce, Katherine Himmelman & Lauren Zeutenhorst

2. Introduction • We believe in the importance of reducing sexual violence on our college campus through the expansion and creation of comprehensive efforts that engage all members of the University community. These efforts will include the continual education of community members. • The following presentation outlines the information on which recommendations are based as well as the actual recommendations for implementation on campus.

3. Overview • National statistics on the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses • Federal Legislation • Important sexual assault literature and implications • Existing prevention models • Our recommendations for the campus

4. What is Sexual Assault? • (n.) illegal sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent or is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent (because of age, physical, or mental incapacity) or who places the assailant (as a doctor) in a position of trust or authority. (“Sexual Assault." Merriam-Webster.com)

5. Why does this matter in higher education? • “Victims of sexual assault are more likely to suffer academically and from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, to abuse alcohol and drugs, and to contemplate suicide.” (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, 2011)

6. Additional terms for consideration • Intimate partner violence • Stalking • Dating violence • Sexual violence • Domestic violence offenses

7. Statistics • In 2007, 3.9% of college women reported attempted or actual sexual penetration against their will • 10.6% reported sexual touching against their will • 1.9% reported a sexually abusive relationship • College men also reported on the same statistics with 1.4% indicating attempted or actual sexual penetration against their will • 4.4% reported sexual touching against their will • 1.3% reported a sexually abusive relationship (American College Health Association, 2009)

8. According to an ACHA Preventing Sexual Violence Survey... • When 297 respondents were asked “To what extent do you think your institution is effective in addressing the problem of sexual violence?” ONLY 11.8% said very effective • When the same sample was asked “How familiar are you with Bystander Intervention techniques to address prevention of sexual violence?” 38.2% said they were not familiar at all (American College Health Association, 2009)

9. Current Regulations for College Campuses • Department of Education Office of Civil Rights • Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) Reauthorization • Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (SaVE) • Jeanne Clery Act

10. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights • Title IX – 1972 • Dear Colleague Letter – issued in 2011

11. Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) Reauthorization • Signed by President Obama on March 7, 2013 • Strengthened and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (1994) • Included in the bill was the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (Campus SaVE) • Amended the Jeanne Clery Act

12. Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (SaVE) • “The campus SaVE Act seeks to address the violence women face on campus: the highest rates of stalking, the highest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence, and 20-25% of female students experiencing rape or attempted rape.”

13. Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (SaVE) Goal: to compliment Title IX and update Jeanne Clery Act to generate…. • Transparency • Accountability • Education • Collaboration

14. Jeanne Clery Act • This landmark federal law “requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campus. The Law is tied to an institution’s participation in federal student financial aid programs and it applies to most institutions of higher education both public and private”

15. Jeanne Clery Act Requirements • Publish and Annual Security Report (ASR) • To have a public crime log • Disclose crime statistics for incidents that occur on campus, in obstructed public areas adjacent to or running through the campus and at certain non campus facilities • Issue timely warnings about Clery Act crimes which pose a serious or ongoing threat to students and employees • Devise an emergency response, notification, and testing policy • Compile and report fire data to the federal government and publish an annual fire safety report • Enact policies and procedures to handle reports of missing students

16. Jeanne Clery Act – 7 Major Categories of Crime Reporting • Criminal Homicide • Sexual Offenses • Robbery • Aggravated Assault • Burglary • Motor Vehicle Theft • Arson

17. Literature on Sexual Violence in Higher Education • American College Health Association: • Shifting the Paradigm: Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence • Guidelines: Position Statement on Preventing Sexual Violence on College and University Campuses • U.S. Department of Education Higher Education Center • Getting Started on Campus: Tips for New Prevention Coordinators • Preventing Violence and Promoting Safety in Higher Education Settings: Overview of a Comprehensive Approach

18. Shifting the Paradigm • Ways of prevention: • Identify social norms that support sexual violence • Strengthen sense of community • Target entire community • Link to alcohol campaigns • Use peer educators

19. Disseminating Information • New Student Orientation • Residence Hall Programs • Sorority and Fraternity Housing • Organization, Clubs, and Teams on Campus • Academic Departments • Campus Radio Stations • Parents • Community Groups

20. Focus on Men • 10 Ways Young Men Can Prevent Sexual Violence • By focusing on the 10 ways of prevention, ideas about ending sexual violence can hopefully spread among men. • Although not all men will commit acts of sexual violence, they can still play a role in educating each other through basic daily practices

21. Position Statement- ACHA 2011 • Importance of engaging the community • 14 Step Plan of Recommended Actions – focuses on all levels of the University and the community

22. Getting Started – The Higher Education Center • Critical Elements of Prevention: • Engaging partners across campus and in the community in creating solutions • Fully understanding the problem • Being fully aware of best practices in sexual violence prevention • Creating a strategic plan to address the issue • Connecting with all constituents of the University and the community

23. Taking Control of the Environment • To prevent sexual violence, it is crucial to cultivate a University environment that does not run-counter to the no-tolerance policy associated with such activities. • Options include: • Offer activities that do not involve alcohol (proven to contribute to sexual violence culture) • Create an environment centered on the promotion of health norms • Restrict marketing and promotion of events and products on and off campus that may contribute to sexual violence culture • Enforce the policies and efforts

24. Creating Effective Programs • Programs must be based on the needs articulated by assessment data related to sexual violence on campus • Measurable goals and objectives as identified by assessment • Prior effective prevention efforts • Use of evaluation tools

25. Current Examples of Practice • The Sexual Assault Violence Prevention Program at Vassar College • SART programs • Pomona College Advocates for Survivors of Sexual Assault

26. The Sexual Assault Violence Prevention Program • The Sexual Assault Violence Prevention Program (SAVP) is housed within the Office of Health Education. • SAVP provides campus programming and education about sexual assault, relationship abuse, and stalking by working closely with community partners to increase campus awareness and to generate dialogue • This information is also housed within the Freshman handbook • Sexual Assault Response Team is included in this effort

27. Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) • Focus on the victim and their individual situation • Core members • “…provide interagency, coordinated responses that make victims’ needs a priority, hold offenders accountable, and promote public safety.”

28. SART Strengths • Minimize both short and long-term impacts of victim trauma • Help to affirm victims concerns and address different options for dealing with said concerns • Improves communication between different constituencies involved.

29. Pomona College Advocates • Student advocates • On and off campus support listings • Promotion of self care • Basic information for supporting victims

30. One-in-Four • Men’s Program 1. Help men understand how to help women recover from rape. 2. To increase the likelihood of bystander intervention in potentially high-risk situations 3. To challenge men to change their own behaviors and influence the behavior of others. • Women’s Program 1. Enable women to recognize characteristics of high-risk perpetrators. 2. Enable and Empower women to intervene in potentially high risk situations 3. Enable women to help rape survivors

31. Our Recommendations • Addition of Title IX Coordinator position • Program Creation and Evaluation: • SART • Bystander Education across campus constituencies • Advocacy program • Safe-space technology map • One-in-Four groups • Report training • Poster and Social media campaign

32. Recommendations • We believe it is important for high level administrators and our task force to create an action statement that recognizes the existence of sexual violence to be adopted by campus constituencies as a show of solidarity in Star University sexual violence protection efforts.

33. Recommendations • Our conduct system should be evaluated to insure that it follows a “no-tolerance” policy for sexual violence that places victims as the priority. Although following the judicial process is crucial, victims should be protected and feel safe by the granting of protection orders on campus and the creation of safe spaces on campus for victims at all times.

34. References • American College Health Association, (2009). Shifting the paradigm: Primary prevention of sexual violence. Retrieved from website: http://www.acha.org/sexualviolence/ • Langford, L. U.S. Department of Education, The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. (n.d.). Preventing violence and promoting safety in higher education settings: Overview of a comprehensive approach. Retrieved from website: http://hazingprevention.org/images/stories/preventing-violence-promoting-safety-highered.pdf • One in four programs. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.oneinfourusa.org/index.php • Pomona college advocates. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://poadvocates.com/about-us • SART toolkit: Resources for sexual assault response teams. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/sartkit/ • “Sexual Assault." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexual assault • Sexual assault and violence prevention. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://savp.vassar.edu/ • Stubbs, H. U.S. Department of Education, The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. (2008). Getting started on campus: Tips for new prevention coordinators. Retrieved from website: http://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/hec/product/getting-started.pdf • Summary of the jeanneclery act. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://clerycenter.org/summary-jeanne-clery-act • The campus sexual violence elimination (save) act. (n.d.). Retrieved from clerycenter.org/campus-sexual-violence-elimination-save-act • U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. (2011). Dear colleague letter: Sexual violence background, summary, and fast facts. Retrieved from website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/fact_sheet_sexual_violence.pdf