December 2014

How College Students Can Take a Stand To End Violence On Campus!

Posted on by Priscilla Meza

by Stephanie Canales, Advocate

Can you imagine a University without students? there will be no graduation ceremonies, no classes, extracurricular events, concerts, special guests. Companies and businesses would lack professionals to carry on their work. Students form a vital part of our society. We don’t always realize that students influence social values: dating rules, dressing styles, vocabulary, music, etc. The power that students have over what is modern, appealing or even socially acceptable is huge.

According to local University, CSU Fresno statistics, around 60% of the people on campus are women.  At any graduation ceremony, there are  hundreds of women from different backgrounds and nationalities. However, 20% of women on campuses are at risk or have experience sexual assault. This means that 1 out 5 women students will suffer  the trauma of  sexual assault, not only physically but in their hearts and minds.

The vast majority of cases of sexual assault are committed by someone who is known by the victim. Therefore, women on  campus are being sexually assaulted by their friends, boyfriends, husbands, family members, and even those who is perceived as authority figures; which includes but not limited to a professor or even Law Enforcement. Men are also at risk but only 1 out 10 cases are males and they are usually assaulted by other men.

If you are troubled by these numbers, you can do something about it. You can  attend  campus events organized by the Women’s Resource Center and campus clubs. Many student activists from the Women’s Studies Department collaborate and create a safe space where students from our campus disclose how violence and sexual assault have affected their lives. Listening to their experiences is shocking and it puts a face on how important is that all of us take a stand against it.

Thanks to Title IX and VAWA, universities are mandated to take action against sexual assault. But without students’ input and innovation and power, any effort to end sexual assault on campus is like giving classes to empty chairs. Students can speak against sexual assault and against old dating styles. Dating can be  fun and important for our development as human beings. Why not learn how to communicate safely about consent during sexual encounters so people are less likely to get hurt?

The trauma of sexual assault can be  devastating. People suffer from social isolation, depression, anxiety, chemical dependency and increased risk of suicide. Who could study for a final exam when suffering from trauma symptoms?  Sometimes the traumatized person does not even recognize or accept that something is wrong.

A campus free of sexual assault not only makes dating better but also increases the chances of success for both men and women. Let’s take a stand against sexual assault today and innovate our dating culture towards a brighter future for everyone. RCS Fresno invites you to make a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault. Pledge to not be a bystander to the problem, but to be part of the solution to end sexual assault.

Case Scenario

Posted on by Priscilla Meza

A local college student was sexually assaulted in the parking lot of the college she was attending. The perpetrator was someone she didn’t know well but had seen in one of her courses.

Following the assault, she experienced extreme fear, self-blame, embarrassment, panic, difficulty sleeping and depression. She felt angry at herself though she could not imagine how she could have avoided the assault.  Her friends were not supportive, and she felt blamed by their remarks. Others told her she was overreacting or that she may should have been more careful.

She stopped going to school altogether and  felt guilt that her parents were paying her tuition. She was afraid to see the perpetrator on campus or in any of her classes. When the semester ended, her parents asked to see her grades. She felt more fear, anxiety and distress when she realized she had to give her parents an explanation that they might not believe. Her parents did listen, but they urged her to return to school and file a police report.

She was not ready to return to school or to file a police report. She still suffered from the trauma symptoms and felt overwhelmed by the situation. She notices that she is consuming alcohol to the point of intoxication more and more frequently. She is beginning to miss days at her part-time job.

After consuming alcohol on a weekend night, she finds an RCS Fresno brochure and calls the 24-hour confidential crisis line printed on it.

 Questions:

  • Describe differences between procedural and ad hoc responses to an issue. 
  • Describe the process that advocates follow when answering crisis calls.
  • Why and to what extent are services confidential?
  • Why is a victim’s choice whether to report important?
  • Describe support options for the survivor if she chooses to report the sexual assault.
  • Describe the procedure controlling what occurs after a sexual assault is reported on campus.
    • This includes but not limited to reporting the day of assault, 1 or more years after the assault occurred, and if perpetrator is known or unknown.
  • Describe which Fresno county agencies can offer services for only as many of the following categories that you feel have reliable information:
    • Confidential consultation regarding sexual assault or other violence 
    • Student peer education
    • Campus bystander intervention education
    • Disabilities
    • Immigration status
    • Gender orientation and/or identification
    • Reproductive health
    • Sexual assault forensic exam
    • Child abuse and neglect
    • Legal consultation regarding civil matters (e.g. Landlord-tenant, family law, stalking, u-visa, etc.)
    • Housing
    • Medical
    • Vocational
    • Transportation
    • Food security
  • Explain your rationale for providing information for only those Fresno county agencies as you feel have reliable information.
  • Describe the procedure to follow for clients with issues in fields or areas for which you lack information and/or expertise.

RCS Fresno continues to receive similar calls through its 24-hour crisis line. As the only rape crisis center serving Fresno County.

Please email your responses to the questions to [email protected] for review. Discussions will be scheduled next semester to consider best practices for response to this scenario.

In the meantime, if you or someone you know would like to speak to one our sexual assault counselors, please contact our 24-Hour Crisis Line at (559) 222-7273. RCS services are free and confidential!