Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence

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Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence
Ole Miss Responds October 26, 2009
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National Information

• In a study of 6,000 students at 32 colleges in
  the United States, 1 in 4 women had been the
  victims of rape or attempted rape.
• Another study indicated that 13 of college women
  had been forced to have sex in a dating
  situation.
• At least 80 of all sexual assaults are committed
  by an acquaintance of the victim.
• Only about 5 of rape victims report the rape to
  the police.

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What are other campuses doing about this issue?

• According to the Department of Justice
• Most 5 year Universities have a written sexual
  assault policy.
• About half of those who have the policy spell out
  specifics regarding tolerance and disciplinary
  action.
• Only about 4 of 10 Universities offer sexual
  assault training.
• Of those who do, the training is generally
  focused on RAs and security officers.

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Assessment Group

• Two phase study encompassing both qualitative and
  quantitative methods.
• Focus Group
• Online Survey
• Attitudes
• Perceptions
• Legality
• Appropriateness

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Focus Group

• Three, 90 minute, sessions were held.
• Student Leaders recruiting with help from the
  Dean of Students Office
• African American Females
• Caucasian Females
• Caucasian Males

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Focus Group Results The Online Survey

• Because the groups seemed knowledgeable about the
  prevalence of this type of event we chose to
  focus our survey on attitudes.
• There seemed to be some ambiguity/differences
  among the groups regarding the definition of
  consent and rape therefore we used this as a
  basis of the survey questionnaire.
• There seemed to be a strong belief in what should
  be done if raped yet national data led us to
  believe that these beliefs may not be consistent
  with actions so we chose to explore this issue as
  well.

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The On-Line Survey
Classification
Gender
Ethnicity
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Results

• College Freshmen and Sophomores differ
  significantly from upper classmen and Graduate
  Students on the level of knowledge they have on
  rape and sexual assault.
• Those with personal experience differ
  significantly from those who have not had
  experience with rape or sexual assault.
• There are significant differences between what
  students say should be done in the aftermath of
  an assault and what is actually done.

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Results

• Those who were raped and chose not to report it
  were unsure that what happened was really
  considered rape, felt partially to blame and did
  not want people to know about it.
• Frequently alcohol was involved with rape,
  however, there was not a difference between those
  affiliated with the Greek system and those who
  were not affiliated.

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Results
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(No Transcript)
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Recommendations

• Policy and Procedures
• New policies have been included in the M-Book
• (see handout)
• Amnesty clause created
• (see handout)
• Still to be done
• Create a website with student resources
• Enhance and support the coordinated, seamless,
  victim-centered response service between campus
  and community resources.

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Recommendations

• Dissemination, outreach, education, prevention,
  and intervention approaches
• Create and maintain proper infrastructure and
  leadership support
• Develop educational/outreach programming
• Prevent sexual violence through empowering campus
  bystanders
• Educate parents
• Educate staff and organizations

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Recommendations

• Assessment
• Conduct follow-up assessment every 5 years
• Conduct future research about campus safety
• Focus on specific populations for future focus
  groups (i.e., freshman, international,
  nontraditional, etc.)
• Evaluate training programs on an annual basis,
  while seeking practices from other universities.

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The University of Mississippi Violence
Prevention Program

• 299,986 to span 3-yr period
• From the U.S. DOJ Office of Violence Against
  Women
• Grants to Reduce Violence, Dating Violence,
  Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus
• Ellen Schafer, Health Promotion, Director
• Linda Keena, Legal Studies, Co-Director

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Statutory Purpose Areas

• Implement and operate education programs
• Develop, enlarge, or strengthen victim service
  programs
• Develop and implement more effective campus
  policies, protocols, order, and services
  specifically devoted to prevent, identify, and
  respond to violence crimes against women
• Support improved coordination among campus
  administrators, campus security, and local law
  enforcement

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External Partners

• Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi,
  Inc.
• 503 Heritage DrOxford, MS 38655-5459(662)
  234-9929
• Oxford Police Department
• 715 Molly Barr RdOxford, MS 38655-2199(662)
  232-2400

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Internal Partners
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Goal 1

• Create and maintain proper infrastructure and
  leadership support to coordinate and enhance
  violence prevention and perpetrator prosecution
  efforts on campus

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Goal 2

• Provide training for University faculty/staff,
  law enforcement, University Judicial Council,
  students, and parents to increase awareness of
  prevention/intervention techniques, resources,
  referral and reporting procedures, and knowledge
  of investigative strategies/prosecution of
  violent crimes against women on campus.

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Goal 3

• Provide and maintain a comprehensive and ongoing
  program of information dissemination and
  prevention/intervention skills to students,
  beginning with the vulnerable, high-risk incoming
  student cohort.

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• QUESTIONS?

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Contact Information

• Leigh Ann Bynum
• leighann_at_olemiss.edu
• Ashley Thompson, Admission Enrollment Services
• arferree_at_olemiss.edu
• x7564
• Vera Van Der Vyver
• vvanderv_at_olemiss.edu
• x6543
• Ellen Schafer, Health Promotion
• ejschafe_at_olemiss.edu
• x6543