StudentAffairs.comCase Study Response

The University of DenverJM Alatis

Katie ChewMichael McPhee &Suzanne Medwid

Introduction

Case Study Reviewers will be able to…

• Overview relevant sexual assault literature.

• Understand the role of various national laws in Sexual Assault Risk Reduction.

• Understand current “Best Practices” in Sexual Assault Risk Reduction.

• Elaborate on Case Study Participant’s ideas for Risk Reduction.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Relevant Literature

• The ways in which people report sexaul assualt varies greatly. Overall there are higher rates of informal reports versus formal. This impacts the way that campuses offer resources to help those impacted and effected by sexaul assault (Sabina & Ho, 2014).

• Increased effectiveness of programs that are tailored to specific populations in the community varying from gender to past experience with sexual assault. This is important when determining the best methods to understanding and educating about sexual assault on a campus (Macy, Nurius, & Norris, 2007).

• Importance of understanding the role of partner sexual violence. The role of consent in these relationships and role of power dynamics at play. This is important in ensuring all types of sexual assault are being addressed in campus education (Logan, Walker, & Cole, 2013)

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act

• Named after Jeanne Clery, a First Year student at Lehigh University who was raped and murdered in her residence hall.

• Requires that colleges comply with federal mandates of reporting campus crime activity.

• University campuses must work on prevention of sexual violence, as well as warning students of potential threats to their wellbeing

(Clery Center, 2012)

Clery Act Regulations

There are four mandates within the Clery Act:

1. Publishing of an annual crime log by Campus Safety

2. A real-time, current updated listing of Campus Crimes

3. Data collecting and record keeping of campus crimes for a minimum of 8 years.

4. Timely Warnings issued when the campus at-large is still at risk

(Clery Center, 2012)

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)• Enacted by Congress in 1994

• Strengthened federal penalties for repeat sex offenders

• Created Rape Shield Law which prevents a victim’s sexaul history against them during a rape trial

• Established the National Domestic Violence hotline

(Factsheet: Violence Against Women)

VAWA Supporting Victims• Ensures that victims do not have to bear the cost of their

rape exams

• Protects women in Indian country by authorizing warrantless arrest authority for federal law enforcement in domestic violence cases where probable cause has been determined

• Offers legal relief for battered immigrants so that their immigration status is not used to prevent them from calling the police

• Supports tribal governments in protecting American Indian and Alaska Native women

(Factsheet: Violence Against Women)

Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act

• Updates Jeanne Clery Act

• Addresses violence against women on campus

• Requires campuses to report incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in an annual campus crime statistics report

(Clery Center, 2012)

Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act

• Creates minimum standards for institutional disciplinary procedures that cover domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking

• Encourages institutions to provide student and employee programming that addresses domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking

• Establishes collaboration between the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services to determine best practices (Clery Center)

Office of Civil Rights Regulations (OCR)

• On April 4, 2011 the OCR issued the Dear Colleague Letter which explained that any federally funded education program must abide by Title IX regulations (Office for Civil Rights).

• The Dear Colleague letter also provides guidance on sexual violence cases; outlines enforcement strategies;and explains the role of Title IX, FERPA, and the Clery Act (Office for Civil Rights).

• The OCR also offers institutions assistance with preventing and addressing discrimination (Office for Civil Rights)

(Office for Civil Rights, 2014)

Title IXHigher Education Institutions are required to:

• Respond promptly and effectively to Sexual Misconduct allegations (for students and other affiliates).

• Must respond to Sexual Violence claims, even if parents or students object.

• Criminal investigations do not replace institutional investigations. Both must occur.

• Each institution must distribute a policy on sex discrimination.

• Each institution must have a Title IX coordinator

• Each institution must make procedures for filing complaints known to campus community.

(Department of Education, 2012)

Existing Best PracticesBest practices show that colleges have to educate and empower students through trainings, have community visibility and

provide the needed support and counseling to all individuals on campus.

• Trainings:

o Green Dot- “Ending violence one green dot at a time.” Green dot is a researched program to develop bystander empowerment to end power based personal violence (Green Dot, 2010).

o Bringing in the Bystander- Developed at the University of New Hampshire. The programs focuses on that everyone has a role in stopping sexual and domestic violence (Know Your Power, 2011).

● Community:

○ Know your Power Social Marketing Campaign- Implemented at the University of New Hampshire to enforce Bringing the Bystander program. Posters were hung around campus highlighting different violence and assault situation, and suggested ways to handle (Know Your Power, 2011).

○ Active student organizations who can create a community that prioritizes educating classmates around the statistics of rape, abuse and violence on college campus.

● Support:

○ Circle of 6 App- Winner of the White House/HSS App Against Abuse Technology Competition. Made for college students. It fosters quick communication and location identification to 6 friends or family members (Circleof6, 2014).

○ CAPE Office- Confidential and non-reporting hotline and services for victims of sexual assault at the University of Denver. Provides students with a 24 hour hotline to call to discuss concerns and inspire empowerment. (CAPE 2013)

○ Counseling support- Provide professional, regular and inexpensive counseling services to support students.

OUR PROPOSAL

Our Practices: An Overview

• Developing 3 separate programs for various university stakeholders, which will be required for some and optional for others based upon their roles.

• Stakeholders include: University Faculty, Staff and Student Leaders; External Community Members (restaurants, bars, and other establishments near the campus); and Those Affected by Sexual Violence (both survivors, bystanders, and alleged-aggressors).

Program 1: Bystander Intervention

Program Description

This 2 hour long training program is geared towards student leaders, campus members, and local businesses with the goal of establishing a network of individuals dedicated to ensuring the safety of university students.

Due to the specific nature of each group, content can be tailored to their specific needs.

Learning Goals

- Establish & Debunk Myths & Facts

- Elaborate on Prevention & Risk Reduction

- Inform Bystanders of their Responsibilities

Program 2: Title IX & Other Legal Considerations

Program DescriptionThis 2 hour long training program is geared towards university employees (such as RAs, Graduate Assistants in Student Life, and Professors) and other relevant individuals (such as student members of conduct hearing boards) who may deal with legal ramifications of sexual violence.

Learning Goals- Establish & Debunk Myths & Facts

- Overview of Title IX, Clery, VAWA, SAvE, and Office of Civil Rights

- Relevance to the Honor Code & University Mission

- Accommodating Needs of Survivors

- Ensuring the Rights of the Accused

- Defining Consent

- Avoiding Victim Blaming

Program 3: Empowerment

This two hour long program will provide individuals in the community resources to help stem the effects of sexual violence. Particular attention will be given to both direct and indirect survivors of sexual violence.

Learning Goals

- Establish & Debunk Myths & Facts

- Prevention and Risk Reduction

- Defining Consent

- Relevance to the Honor Code & University Mission

- Accommodating Needs of Survivors

Philosophical Considerations and Program Implementation

Establish & Debunk Myths & Facts

• Rape myth belief is tied to gender and “just world belief” (Hayes, Lorenz, & Bell, 2013).

• Rape myth belief may be why low rates of reported sexual assault exist (Hayes, Lorenz, & Bell, 2013)

• In bystander training we will have a section of curriculum that covers the myths of sexual assault

• For various scenarios and tactics given to participants processing questions will be centered around sexual assault myths.o Through this processing participants will be able to apply newly

learned facts to real life scenarios to see how attitudes can shift when facts surrounding sexual assault impact decision making.

Establish & Debunk Myths & Facts

• For Title IX and Other legal considerations training, the institution will examine current policies that perpetuate myths of sexual assault.o Staff will have a two hour long training where these new policy

changes are discussed and implications for practice.

• During the empowerment week a panel of survivors, experts, and supporters would be used to share their perspective and story. o In this panel format participants will be able to ask questions

and the moderator can ask questions to debunk myths and perspectives.

Role of the Bystander

• Research indicates that 80% of college men feel uncomfortable when they see a woman being mistreated (Bystander Intervention). Often times they do not intervene in a situation because they feel that they are the only person who feels uncomfortable.

• During this training individuals will participate in role play scenarios that will allow them to gain the skills and confidence necessary to step in during an actual situation.

Overview of Title IX, Clery, VAWA, SAvE, and Office for Civil Rights

Using the information in this PowerPoint, we will present an overview of each law. We will highlight the specific responsibilities of the group (student, faculty, staff or community member) we are presenting to. We will invite individuals from the campus (Campus Safety, Health and Counseling and Office of Civil Rights) to speak on their

expertise.

Ensuring the Rights of the Accused

• The accuser has the right to a confidential Title IX investigation and to provide evidence (how to report, 2013).

• We will use real journal and newspaper articles about Title IX investigations to understand the rights and processes for the accused.

Defining Consent• It is important that we establish a culture that recognizes gaining

consent , defined as a voluntary agreement between two individuals who are engaging in sexual activity, as a necessary action.

• It is also important to note that people under the influence of drugs or alcohol are not capable of giving consent.

• Participants in all three programs will be given scenarios and will be asked to determine whether or not consent has been given by both parties involved. A debrief session at the end of each program will allow facilitators to ask questions that allow participants to reflect on how the activity relates to bystander intervention, legal considerations, or empowerment.

Avoiding Victim BlamingIt will be relevant to teach advocates ways to avoid victim blaming. By

asking them what they think “causes” rape, we will debunk the thoughts victims are responsible for their attack, by explaining:

• Survivors should be reaffirmed that nothing they did “caused” them to be victimized.

• One should not be blamed for being a “victim”, rather blame should be placed on the aggressor.

• Actions should be attributed to the aggressor, rather than the actions of the survivor.

• How someone dresses, how much they drink, or how much they flirt are not reasons for assault.

(Factsheet, 2014)

Prevention and Risk Reduction

Through group discussion, we will elaborate on ways that everyone can reduce risk and talk about “preventing” rape:

• We must be careful to say that we can “prevent” rape or sexual violence. Rather, we can reduce risk.

• During this presentation, we will address ways that one can reduce risks -- including, but not limited to, alcohol safety, current best practices (like the aforementioned Circle of 6 App), etc.

• This will also focus on reducing “victim blaming” and explaining that Sexual Violence survivors can be men, women, LGBT, or straight.

(Colorado State, 2014)

Relevance to Honor Code & University Mission

• It is important when talking about empowerment to understand how the university’s mission and honor code apply to the community understanding of sexual assault.

• University mission and honor code will be used in teaching during bystander intervention training and the two hour long Title IX and Other Legal Consideration as a foundation for understanding the training.

• Relevant statements from the mission and honor code would be printed on commitment banners where students can sign them indicating their support of the statements and commitment to not violating them.

Final Considerations

Importance of Social Media

• It is exceptionally important to establish that social media can be used to either aid or hinder the discussion of sexual violence.

• For instance, the role social media played in the Steubenville Football rape case was both harmful and triggering, yet shed a light on the situation. (Huffington Post, 2013)

• Social Media can be an ally--such as the use of the Circle of 6 App and GreenDot (2014)

References

CAPE (2013). Retrieved February 16, 2014 from http://www.du.edu/health-and-counseling-center/cape/index.html

Circle of 6 (2014). Retrieved February 16, 2014 from http://www.circleof6app.com/

Clery Center (2012). Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act. Retrieved February 15, 2014 from

http://clerycenter.org/campus-sexual-violence-elimination-save-act

Factsheet: Violence Against Women. Retrieved February 15, 2014 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/vawa_factsheet.pdf

Green Dot (2010). Retrieved February 16, 2014 from http://livethegreendot.com/

Hayes, R.M., Lorenz, K., & Bell, K.A. (2013). Victim blaming others: Rape myth acceptance and the just world belief. Feminist Criminology 8(3) 202-220.

How to Report (2013). Retrieved February 16, 2014 from http://www.du.edu/health-and-counseling-center/cape/report.html

Jeanne Clery Act Text as Amended Through 2008. (2007). In Clery Center for Security on Campus. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from

http://clerycenter.org/sites/default/files/Jeanne%20Clery%20Act%20Full%20Text.pdf

Know Your Power (2011). Retrieved February 16, 2014 from http://know-your-power.org/

Logan, T.K., Walker, R., & Cole, J. (2013). Silenced Suffering: The Need for a Better Understanding of Partner Sexual Violence. Trauma Violence Abuse.

DOI:10.1177/1524838013517560

References Continued

Macy, R.J., Runius, P.S., & Norris, J. (2007). Latent profiles among sexual assault survivors: Understanding survivors and their assault experiences. Journal

of Interpersonal Violence, 22(5), 520-542. doi:10.1177/088626050629883

Men Can Stop Rape (2011). Bystander Intervention. Retrieved February 10, 2014 from

http://www.mencanstoprape.org/Theories-that-Shape-Our-Work/bystander-intervention.html

Office for Civil Rights (2011). In U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-201104.html

Pelosi, C. (2013, November 23). Steubenville Rape Case: Enablers Have Consequences. The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-pelosi/steubenville-rape-scandal_b_4338406.html?utm_hp_ref=steubenville-rape.

Primary Prevention vs. Risk Reduction (2014). In Colorado State University . Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http://wgac.colostate.edu/primary-prevention-vs-risk-reduction

Sabina, C., & Ho, L.Y. (2014). Campus and College Victim Responses to Sexual Assault and Dating Violence, Disclosure, Service Utilization, and Service

Provision. Trauma Violence Abuse. DOI: 10.1177/1524838014521322

Title IX (2011). In US Department of Education. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/title-ix-rights-201104.pdf