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Making the Decision

A Comprehensive Prevention, Response, and Support Plan from the University Task Force on Sexual Violence. Making the Decision. Presented by Kristen Cummings, Lysette Davis, Noel Hennessey, and Deanna Meek The University of Arizona. The Goal.

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Making the Decision

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  1. A Comprehensive Prevention, Response, and Support Plan from the University Task Force on Sexual Violence Making the Decision Presented by Kristen Cummings, Lysette Davis, Noel Hennessey, and Deanna Meek The University of Arizona

  2. The Goal Our vision is to have a campus where our community respects one another, where our students and community members understand their responsibility in ending violence, and where all community members feel safe. • To achieve this vision and to guide programming, the following outcomes were established: • The unique needs of survivors of sexual violence will be addressed • The rights of those accused of sexual violence will be met • All students will participate in activities on campus directed at preventing sexual misconduct • Programs will be guided with the paradigm that all community members have a responsibility to prevent sexual violence • Programs will emphasize the important of gaining active consent when engaging in sexual activity • All programming on the university campus will include the same definition of consent Making the Decision

  3. The Task Force Our task force who will oversee the execution of this plan is comprised of diverse members of our campus community: • University administrators and • student affairs practitioners in different roles on campus: • Residence Life • Cultural Centers • Transfer Student Services • Student Support Services • University Conduct • LGBTQ Center • Campus police • Student representatives from each college and professional school: • Engineering • Education • Social Science • Natural Science • Liberal Arts • Medicine • Law • Community members from the following groups: • Local police department • County or city health department • Local rape crisis center Members of faculty will also be invited to serve on the task force. Making the Decision

  4. Why Making the Decision? The task force named this campaign Making the Decision to emphasize the active role the entire university and surrounding community has in preventing sexual violence, as well as responding to and promoting ongoing support and positivity to survivors of sexual violence. All of us have the choice to perpetuate violence or a culture that shifts the responsibility of violence from the perpetrator to the survivor. All of us need to start Making the Decision to change this behavior and keep our community safe. Making the Decision

  5. Why Making the Decision? Defining Consent What is Consent? “Consent as a clear and unambiguous agreement, expressed in mutually understandable words or actions, to engage in a particular activity. Consent can be withdrawn by either party at any point. Consent must be voluntarily given and may not be valid if a person is being subjected to actions or behaviors that elicit emotional or psychological pressure, intimidation, or fear. Consent to engage in one sexual activity, or past agreement to engage in a particular sexual activity, cannot be presumed to constitute consent to engage in a different sexual activity or to engage again in a sexual activity. Consent cannot be validly given by a person who is incapacitated.”  - University of Michigan Code of Conduct Making the Decision

  6. Why Making the Decision? Defining Consent • Consent is NOT: • Silence: Not saying “NO” is not saying “yes” • Impaired judgment: If a person is incapable of giving consent due to alcohol or drug consumption, it does not mean consent. • Power Struggle: A person of authority (employer, student leader, professor) should not use position of power to pressure sexual interaction • Body Language: Body Language can be perceived differently by different people • Relationship: Just because you’re in a committed relationship does not mean consent automatically exists Making the Decision

  7. Our Approach Layered Approach Multiple Angles • Prevention • Immediate response to sexual violence • Ongoing support for people impacted by sexual violence • Focus on campus climate • Common experience curricula • Administrative support • Social Media Campaign • Campus Wide Certification System Making the Decision

  8. Our Approach

  9. Campus Wide Certification Student Affairs Professionals and Faculty Members • Student Affairs Professionals and Faculty Members will be encouraged to go through a campus wide certification. • Certification will consist of a series of on-campus workshops and webinars to help Student Affairs professionals learn how to discuss with students what it means to consent as well as how to help a student dealing with the effects of sexual misconduct. • While a Student Affairs professional/faculty member will never be responsible for providing counseling to a survivor, it is imperative to the safety of the campus to make sure employees are connected to resources that will help a student in crisis. • After completing the certification, individuals will be given a placard to post in their offices to let students know it a “safe place” to discuss issues of consent and sexual violence. Making the Decision

  10. Campus Wide Certification Student Organizations I Made the Decision, I Made the Pact….  We hope all student organizations will join together in this pledge for the betterment of the entire college campus: “We thank you for hearing our call to action. When you Make the Pact you are making our world a better and safer place. Spread the word. We can do this together. I am aware that sexual assault can happen to anyone at any time. I believe we can end sexual assault through education. I will always be sure of genuine consent before any sexual activity. I will take action if I see a situation that could lead to sexual assault. I commit to learning more and promoting the PACT.” Student Organizations may choose to complete workshops and trainings to understand active consent and the negative impact of sexual assault. Workshops to encourage students to make a pact as a part of http://pact5.org. Organizations will receive a certification upon completion. Individuals will receive a placard saying they made the pact. After watching the documentary one student said, "Sexual assault is like seeing an image with dirt in your eyes. It can sometimes be very hard to identify. This documentary has made things clearer to me and has helped me understand how to handle sexual assault matters if I’m ever put into the situation." Making the Decision

  11. Socio Academic Integration The First Year Common Experience • Required 2 credit course for all first-year undergraduate students entering the university with less than 30 college credits • Uses Chickering’s Seven Vectors of Identity Development • Managing emotions • Moving through autonomy toward independence • Set in small-group discussion and covers the following topics: • Feelings around dating and friendships • Values around sex and relationships • Defining consent • Understanding and coping with feelings of rejection • Empathy and respect in practice “…students develop the ability to recognize and accept emotions, as well as appropriately express and control them.”Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn (2010) Making the Decision

  12. Socio Academic Integration The Transfer Student Common Experience • Required 2 credit course for all undergraduate students for all students entering the university with 30 college credits or more • Uses Chickering’s Seven Vectors of Identity Development • Moving through autonomy toward independence • Developing mature interpersonal relationships • Establishing identity • Set in small-group discussion and covers the following topics: • Many of the same topics as the First Year Experience, with added flexibility for varying degrees of college experiences • Discussion of observations of campus culture and climate “…they come to recognize and accept the importance of interdependence, an awareness of their interconnectedness with others.”Evans et al. (2010) Making the Decision

  13. The Common Experience Socio Academic Integration The Third Year Common Experience • Required 2 credit course for all students in their third year of study or having at least 60 college credits • Rooted in Chickering’s Seven Vectors of Student Development • Developing mature interpersonal relationships • Establishing identity • Developing integrity • Set in small-group discussion and covers the following topics: • Reflection on first two or more years of college • Feelings about emerging relationships • Community action component: Students will develop plans to create new interventions or revise existing interventions to serve their sectors of the community “…students progress from rigid, moralistic thinking to the development of a more humanized value system in which the interests of others are balanced with their own interests.”Evans et al. (2010) Making the Decision

  14. Socio Academic Integration Independent Study Option • Option to do independent projects in place of either Common Experience workshop • Designed for non-traditional aged students • Meet with adviser to develop strategy to reduce sexual misconduct on college campus • Based in Tinto’s Theory of Student Departure (1975, 1987, 1993) • Goal of increasing awareness and empathy in students Potential Projects • Public Service Announcement or poster production • Volunteer on Survivor’s Assistance Team • Shadow support group facilitator or train as a facilitator • Research and advocate legal policy on Title IX and VAWA cases Making the Decision

  15. Visual Rhetoric Campaign Visual Rhetoric Campaign Poster campaign • Message • Half of posters will display facts about sexual misconduct such as: • “1 out of every 10 men in the U.S. are survivors of sexual assault. You are not alone.” • “Sexual assault is not a women’s issue, it’s a human issue.” • “Not saying “no” is not consent.” • Other half of posters will display empowering messages about the importance of bystander intervention. • Strategy • Posters placed in locations with high traffic of students, faculty, and staff • Posters will include a QR code to download the University app, and will highlight the reporting function. These posters will also include information on how to use other campus and community resources Making the Decision

  16. Making the Decision Visual Rhetoric Campaign Visual Rhetoric Campaign Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest • The Dean of Students will sponsor a Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest where teams of students will submit entries to raise awareness about the prevention of sexual violence. This contest will be operated on a pilot basis, and if successful, may be repeated in subsequent academic years. • Judging Criteria • Creativity • Clarity of Message • Presentation Effectiveness/Impact • Awards • 1st place team--$400 prize • 2nd place team—$300 prize • 3rd place team--$200 prize “Social change is the process of shifting attitudes, values, and action to address social problems in a positive way.”National Sexual Violence Resource Center Making the Decision

  17. Making the Decision Social Media Campaign Social Media Campaign • Reporting App • Partner with the Dean of Students Office and Campus IT department to create “report” section of University App. • Would provide the steps and contact information for making reports of various types, and put this information in the hands of members of the campus community. • Would offer available campus resources for students based on report type. Making the Decision

  18. Making the Decision– Student Support Services Student Support Services Reporting procedures • We will provide several courses of action students/faculty/staff may take on campus • Formal Report • University Police or Dean of Students Office • In person, online form, app • Not confidential • Go through campus judicial system • Confidential Report • Available through Health Services in person • No legal action pursued • Advocate • Trained volunteer team of faculty/staff members • Non-mandatory reporters, confidentiality. • Discuss options, be present during reporting process, offer ongoing support. Making the Decision

  19. Social Media Campaign • Utilize various social media platforms to increase visibility of message • Facebook: create campaign page & partner with existing popular page • Encourage Facebook users to add a teal ribbon of support to their profile picture during the month of April (Sexual Assault Awareness Month) • Twitter & Instagram: Create hashtag – track efforts.

  20. Student Support Services Support for Survivors • Goals of Counseling Services: • Help students understand their medical and legal options • 2. Create a safety plan designed specifically for the student • 3. Create a space to talk with others about what is happening/has happened • 4. Help students identify concerns and understand how it is changing the community around them. • 5. Create healthy coping mechanisms for healing from the assault Making the Decision

  21. Student Support Services Support for Survivors • Crisis Counseling – Counselors will be available 24/7 for immediate crisis counseling through the Health Center. Crisis counseling will work with students to provide academic support while processing sexual misconduct. The crisis counselor will also assess if the student should be moved to extended counseling or a peer support and advocate group. • Extended counseling – Understanding that survivors may experience a wide range of emotional, psychological, and physical responses, and that every situation is unique. Support will be available at all steps, and for as long as is needed. • Peer Support groups – Peer support groups foster positive relationships with a variety of groups through processing, empowerment and self-confidence. Will be led by a variety of experts based on the peer group. Peer support groups will also be available online. These groups will be moderated by the Health Center, and will be housed on the Making the Decision webpage. • All counseling will be available free of charge. Making the Decision

  22. Student Support Services Types of Peer Advocates and Support Groups: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead (1901 – 1978) Sexual Assault can happen to anyone. Making the Decision has support group tomeet students and staff where they are and to provide a safe place, regardless of their gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, size, age, SES, and/or race. • Goals of Peer Groups: • 1. Provide emotional support • 2. Reduce isolation • 3. Rebuild trust in the college community • 4. Empowerment Making the Decision

  23. Student Support Services Types of Peer Advocates and Support Groups: “Between 20 and 25 percent of college women and 4 percent of college men report having been sexually assaulted during their college years.”- US Department of Justice • New Support Systems to meet the digital age: Online support: While online support is a new type of peer group, it allows for anonymity, which is something that many students may need when they are unsure of where to go. Online peer groups also provide accessibility to students who may not be able to meet with other peers at a specified time or due to mobile issues. After researching online support options, the Task Force has decided to provide online support. Making the Decision

  24. Student Support Services Survivors Female Self-Identified: “Campus sexual assault is a significant problem. Women in the traditional age range for college students—from eighteen to twenty-one—are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted than women in any other age group, and college-bound women are at greater risk than their non-college-bound peers.” – U.S. Department of Justice The female identified survivor group will provide a safe place to process, cope, discuss and empower. Friend of a Survivor: Sometimes students entrust a roommate or a close friend with their assault, but ask the friend to keep it a secret. This peer group will help friends of survivors cope with a friend’s experience with assault and violence and help the students empower each other and their friends. Making the Decision

  25. Student Support Services Survivors Male Self-Identified: In a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control of 5,000 college students at over 100 colleges, 4% of men answered "yes" to the question "In your lifetime have you been forced to submit to sexual intercourse against your will?” The male identified survivor group will provide a safe place to process, cope, discuss and empower. LGBTQ Survivors: • It is important to specifically have a support group for LGBTQ students. Peer support can address additional subject matter focused on LGBTQ issues. For example, topic of discussions would include: • Did sexual abuse make me LGBTQ? • Was I raped because I am LGBTQ? (Hate Crime) • Abuse within LGBTQ relationships/same sex abuse According to a 2010 study by the Centers for Disease Control, one in eight lesbians and nearly half of bisexual women have been raped in their lifetime. Four in 10 gay men and nearly half o bisexual men have experienced some form of sexual violence. Making the Decision

  26. Student Support Services Support for Accused Anyone who is reported for sexual misconduct to the Dean of Students goes through a process and investigation. During this process, the campus community could perpetuate negative judgments, regardless if the accused person committed sexual misconduct. The personal crisis counseling is for students to have a safe place, to ask questions, and to process the accusation. “The fact that sexual assaults on campuses largely take place between acquaintances blurs understandings both of consent and of assault”– US Department of Justice Making the Decision

  27. Assessment • August 2014 General Campus Survey • August 2014 Focus Groups • August 2015 General Campus Survey • Common Experience Assessment, August 2015-2016 • Social Media Hashtag & Analytics Making the Decision

  28. Timeline  March 2014 -July 2014: The Task Force will work with the Campus Information Technology Center to update the existing university app to include the reporting function. Be ready to launch for the incoming Class of 2018 in August 2014. March 2014-July 2014: The Task Force will develop posters for the visual rhetoric campaign to be placed in highly visible areas on campus before the start of the 2014-2015 academic year. March 2014-July 2014: The task force will work with Campus Health Services to develop and improve crisis sexual assault responders, extended counseling services, and peer support groups for sexual assault survivors. Task force will also work to create online support resources, with a focus on students studying abroad. March 2014-May 2015: The Task Force will assign a subcommittee to develop the budget, staffing, and facility needs for the Common Experience. The first Common Experience cohort will be the class of 2019. Making the Decision

  29. Timeline March 2014-July 2014: The Task Force will develop the campus wide certification system. Training and workshops will begin in August 2014. Online trainings will be available for those faculty and staff who are not able to attend in person. August 2014: Launch social media campaign in tandem with start of school year. Promote heavily with incoming Class of 2018. Launch Making the Decision Facebook page and hashtag for Twitter and Instagram users. Use hashtag to track discussions and interactions with initiative. August 2014: Assessment covering this project will begin. October 2014: The Dean of Students Office will announce the Public Service Announcement contest inviting students to submit entries raising awareness of sexual assault prevention. The submission deadline will be March 1st, 2015 and the winning entry will be promoted during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. Making the Decision

  30. References CARES! Campus Advocacy Response & Support. RIT Center for Women & Gender. Retrieved from http://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/womenandgender/get-help/cares-hotline Chickering, A. W., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Deil-Amen, R. (2011). Socio-academic integrative moments: Rethinking academic and social integration among two-year college students in career-related programs. Journal of Higher Education, 82(1), 54-91. Consent and Coercion. The University of Michigan Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. Retrieved from http://sapac.umich.edu/article/49 Documentaries. Pact 5. Retrieved from http://pact5.org/make-the-pact/ Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido, F., et al. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (Chapter 4, “Chickering’s Theory of Identity Development,” pp. 64-81) Fisher, B. et al, (2000). The Sexual Victimization of College Women. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/182369.pdf Friend or stranger, we owe it to each other to get involved. Retrieved from http://www.nsvrc.org/bystander/stories/3851 Goodwin, R., et al. (2007). Peer Support Guidebook – The Men’s Project. Retrieved from: https://1in6.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Peer-Support-Guidebook.pdf Gonzales, R. (December, 2005). Assault on Campus: What Colleges and Universities Are Doing About it. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/205521.pdf Making the Decision

  31. References It’s time…to share your experience. Retrieved from http://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/file/SAAM/SAAM_2011-StoryAidan.pdf Krebs, C., et al. (2007). Campus Sexual Assault(CSA) Study. US Department of Justice. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/221153.pdf Male Sexual Assault. Retrieved from http://www.rainn.org/get-information/types-of-sexual-assault/male-sexual-assault Palumbo, L. (2014). Becoming an agent of social change: a guide for youth activists. Retrieved from http://nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/saam_2014_becoming-an-agent-of-social-change_0.pdf Pandora’s Aquarium. A message board of survivors. Retrieved from http://www.pandys.org/lgbtsurvivors.html Reporting. The University of Arizona OASIS Program. Retrieved from https://www.health.arizona.edu/hpps_oasis_program_emergency_sexual_reporting.htm. Sexual Assult Peer Advocate Training Manual. Emory University. Retrieved from http://studenthealth.emory.edu/hp/documents/pdfs/Fall2013SAPAmanual.pdf Sexual Assault Statistics. One in Four. Retrieved from http://www.oneinfourusa.org/statistics.php Support Services. Alliance for Sexual Prevention. Retrieved from http://web.wm.edu/so/asap/ASAP%20Organizations.php?svr=www Making the Decision

  32. References Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Review of Educational Research, 45, 89–125 . Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Training and Technical Assistance Center, Faith and Community Based Approaches to Victim Services. Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime. Retrieved from https://www.ovcttac.gov/views/TrainingMaterials/dspFaithBasedWebinar.cfm US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. (April 4, 2011). Dear Colleague Letter from the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights . Washington D.C., Retrieved from: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201104.html Making the Decision

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