The Preventative Education and Enhanced Response to Sexual violence (PEERS)

Initiative

The Preventative Education and Enhanced Response to Sexual violence (PEERS)

InitiativePresented by the Taskforce on Sexual Violence

Athina Chartelain (c), Michelle Rosa,

Robert Rydeski, Dan Taylor

OverviewOverview

• Background Information on URI and Sexual Violence

• Taskforce on Sexual Violence

• P.E.E.R.S. Initiative

• Strategic Planning

• University Goals

The Status of Sexual ViolenceThe Status of Sexual ViolenceFindings from The Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study include:•Many women (88%) have never consumed a drink left unattended or consumed a drink given to them by a stranger (76%).•One-quarter of the sample (25%) reported consuming alcohol or drugs before sex at least once a month, and slightly fewer (23%) were drunk or high during sex at least once a month.•Eighteen percent experienced an attempted (13%) and/or completed (13%) sexual assault since entering college.•Among the total sample, 5% experienced a completed physically forced sexual assault, but a much higher percentage (11%) experienced a completed incapacitated sexual assault.•Sexual assaults were most likely to occur in September, October and November, on Friday or Saturday nights, and between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m.•Most victims of physically forced or incapacitated sexual assault were assaulted by someone they knew (79% and 88%).•Freshmen and sophomores are at greater risk for victimization than juniors and seniors.

Our InstitutionOur Institution

• Mid-size four year public college offering both undergraduate and graduate programs.

• 13,431 students are enrolled on a full time basis, and 2,608 attend part time.  

• Predominantly White Institution

• Located in the Northeast Region

• Residential Campus with off campus students

• Traditional age students

• Is not a dry campus

• The university offers more than 100 bachelor’s and 80 graduate degree programs, as well as first professional and doctorate programs.

• 55% Women and 45% Men

• 11 Incidents of Forcible Sexual Offenses in 2012

Current Programs and Policy at URICurrent Programs and Policy at URI

• URI Peer Advocacy Program– A team of specially trained students who create and perform interactive workshops

and programs to educate and increase awareness regarding: Partner Violence, Stalking Alcohol, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Harassment, and Drugs.

• Office of Civility Education– works to encourage a civil community that upholds the pursuit of knowledge with

honesty, integrity, and courage while respecting the rights and dignity of all others.

• Bias Response Team– works to gather information about bias incidents and to support those who have

witnessed, or become a target, of an act of bias.

• Student Handbook Information on Sexual Violence– Current information on student conduct policy and information available to URI

community members.

Impact of VAWA Reauthorization in 2014Impact of VAWA Reauthorization in 2014

• VAWA Reauthorization pertaining to colleges and universities– Primary Prevention and Awareness programs

– Annual reporting of statistics for various criminal offenses

– Institutions inform students of procedures following an act of sexual violence.

• In national news, President Obama is taking a stand on preventing sexual violence on colleges campuses.

Weekly Address: Taking Action to End Sexual Assault

Taskforce on Sexual ViolenceTaskforce on Sexual Violence

Division of Student AffairsVPSA, Dean of Students, Health Services, Counseling Center, HRL, Greek Affairs, Athletics, Student Activities

Office of the ProvostFaculty Liaison Committee Chair, Vice Provost, Dean of University College (New Student Programs)

Office of Community, Equity, and DiversityAssistant Vice President (Chief Diversity Officer), LGBTQ Center, Women’s Center

Taskforce on Sexual ViolenceTaskforce on Sexual Violence

Local Community OrganizationsNo More, RI Crisis Assistance Center,

Public SafetyFaculty Liaison Committee Chair, Vice Provost, Dean of University College (New Student Programs)

Human ResourcesAssistant Vice President (Chief Diversity Officer), LGBTQ Center, Women’s Center

Taskforce ResponseTaskforce Response

The Preventative Education and Enhanced Response (PEERS) Initiative

A multifaceted approach to address sexual violence on our campus through policy development, programming, training, and community outreach.

P.E.E.R.S. InitiativeP.E.E.R.S. Initiative

Vision:The P.E.E.R.S. Initiative seeks to establish a campus community that is educated on, preventative of, and responsive to acts of sexual violence, in an effort to eliminate this form of abuse on our campus.

Mission:The P.E.E.R.S. Initiative will accomplish this vision through the creation of new campus policies that provide the university with a unified response to the sensitive needs of both the accused and survivor, intentional programming efforts that raise levels of awareness and knowledge of sexual violence, and publicity campaigns to illuminate the issue on our campus and demystify the myths of sexual violence.

P.E.E.R.S. InitiativeP.E.E.R.S. Initiative

Values:

These values serve as the cornerstone of the P.E.E.R.S. Initiative. It is with these values that we strive to build a campus community that is caring and respectful of one another.

•Confidentiality - Safeguarding the identities of persons involved•Dignity - Appreciation and value for the whole individual•Respect - Honoring others by treating them with care and courtesy•Trust - Ability for students to place confidence within us•Safety - Provision of space that is free from insecurity

Our Triangulated ApproachOur Triangulated Approach

Policy DevelopmentPolicy Development

Faculty and Staff

•Implement a university-wide syllabus statement which addresses sexual violence and community standards for all members.

•Establish a liaison in each academic department who will report to the Faculty Liaison Chair and the Office of the Provost on the taskforce.

•Include Bystander Training at New Employee Orientation.

•Mandate a sexual violence awareness and prevention assessment each year as part of employee evaluation.

•For all university employees there will be a conference held in August for existing staff and faculty for bystander training intervention.

Policy DevelopmentPolicy Development

Students

•Develop amnesty policies for undocumented students and students involved in substance abuse incidents of sexual violence.

•Implement sexual violence questionnaires as intake forms for Health Service and Counseling Center Visits.

•Mandate a sexual violence awareness and prevention virtual assessment to be completed by the end of the first week of classes.

•Reevaluate housing options for accused and victims of sexual violence through emergency vacancies.

Programming: Consent is Sexy & A Call to Men

Programming: Consent is Sexy & A Call to Men

Consent is Sexy

A Call to Men

Programming: Bystander Intervention Training

Programming: Bystander Intervention Training

Live The Green Dot•Bystander Intervention Training (BIT)

•Students will learn about effective bystander intervention techniques during incidents of sexual violence

•Creative activities students will do to deeply reflect on violence prevent are:

– writing and presenting persuasive speeches

– Creating public service announcements

•After successfully completing the training, participants will receive a BIT card

PublicityPublicity

Circle of 6

URI Violence Prevention

PublicityPublicity

@uripeersURI PEERS Initiative

University GoalsUniversity Goals

Meeting the Transformational Goals of the University•Goal 4: Build a Community at the University of Rhode Island that Values and Embraces Equity and Diversity.

Meeting the Goals of the Division of Student Affairs •Goal 5: Enhance the student experience so that it positively impacts student persistence and retention.

•Goal 6: Students utilize technology and are well informed of programs,

services and events through the Divisions advanced use of technology.

ConclusionConclusionAs President Obama stated, “Because when a child starts to question their

self-worth after being abused, and maybe starts withdrawing… or a young woman drops out of school after being attacked… or a mother struggles to hold down a job and support her kids after an assault… it’s not just these individuals and their families who suffer.  Our communities – our whole country – is held back.”

Although sexual violence continues to happen on college campuses at alarming rates, we are dedicated to educating our students. So while our approach may not completely eradicate this issue, we are dedicated to the development of various programming and policy development to address these issues.

It is through collaborative efforts and partnership on our campus and within our community that we will reach a college campus that is educated on, preventative of, and responsive to acts of sexual violence, in an effort to eliminate this form of abuse on our campus.

ReferencesReferencesBarone, R.P., Wolgemuth, J.R., Linder, L. (2007). Preventing sexual assault through

engaging college men. Journal of College Student Development , 48(5), pp. 585-594.

Benjamin, M. & Hamrick, F.A. (2011). How does the perception that learning takes place exclusively in classrooms persist? Expanding the learning environment. In P.M. Magolda & M.B. Baxter Magolda’s Contested Issues in Student Affairs: Diverse Perspectives and Respectful Dialogue. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Kneeling, R.P. (Ed.) (2004). Learning Reconsidered: A campus-wide focus on the student experience . Washington, DC: American College Personal Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

Krebs, C.P., Lindquist, C.H., Warner, T.D., Fisher, B.S., & Martin, S.L. (2007). The Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study. National Institute of Justice.

Katz, J. (2013). Violence against women is a men’s issue. In M. Adams, W.J. Blumenfeld, C. Castaneda, H.W. Hackman, M.L. Peters, & X. Zuniga’s Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (3rd edition), pp. 342-346.