University Deserves Credit Where Credit is Due in Dealing with Sexual Assault

As an advocate for sexual assault victims and survivors for the past three years at Michigan State University, I can’t help but express my disappointment in the Coalition Against Sexual Violence‘s tactics over the past few months, particularly those of the “Day of Rage” on March 2nd.

I was taken aback by the message the group used to rally around the Rock which read: “Rapists Beware” with a depiction of a semi-automatic underneath (seen at 0:42). I welcome any explanation for this, and look forward to attending the debriefing session that the Coalition will be hosting after spring break.

Sexual assault is an emotionally driven issue. If it weren’t I wouldn’t have spent the last three years battling it on our campus and in our community. I understand the anger that the Coalition members foster, because I feel it too. However, in my experiences as a leader on campus, I have found that making the world a better place is the best revenge.

A foundation of hostility does not create an atmosphere of change. For the past few months that the Coalition has been assembled, many bridges have been burned with the university and its administration, and I would say that this is understandable on the university’s part.

Since before the Coalition was formed, I have supported the efforts our university has to offer surrounding the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses and I constantly advocate for their collaboration and expansion.

One of the most under appreciated programs on campus is the Sexual Assault Program, which is a division of the Counseling Center and located in Room 13A of Student Services. For 30 years, it has been providing direct services to victims and survivors of sexual assault through crisis intervention; medical, judicial, and legal advocacy; and therapy. This program is also supported by over 100 student volunteers in the Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention (SACI) Team – one of the most influential and unrecognized Registered Student Organizations on campus. (Full disclosure: I am president of this organization, but would not like to associate it with this post, as some volunteers are in the Coalition Against Sexual Violence.) One solution the coalition could approach the administration with is the expansion and greater funding of this program to increase student awareness which could contribute to more peer accountability and an atmosphere of support.

Many members of the Coalition were unaware of the Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence (SARV) Prevention Program. In the first three years of its existence, peer educators have conducted two hour workshops with thousands of freshmen and are currently running pilot workshops within the Greek Community. This program has been nationally recognized; its director and two peer educators were invited by Vice President Biden to attend a reception honoring the 16th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. Our program was chosen due to the innovative use of peer educators, as well as its enormous reach and knowledge retention rate. A solution the coalition could offer to the administration surrounding SARV is to make the workshops a hard mandate. That is to say, freshmen would be required to take the workshop or they would have a hold on their academic account and be unable to sign up for classes until the workshop is completed.

These are just two of the many branches of our university that are fighting day in and day out against sexual assault and their efforts deserve to be celebrated.

(Note: I would speak on the Mentors in Violence Prevention Program (MVP) used to educate our athletes, as a basketball controversy was the catalyst for the Coalition, but I am not familiar enough with the particulars of the program to truly evaluate it. I would say given recent events that it should be revisited, but I have no specifics at this time. All I know is that it was created by one of the most respected names in sexual assault prevention today, Jackson Katz.)

Sexual assault is a universal issue. To truly make an impact, we must keep our passion, but forge ahead with tact and a solutions-based mindset. I am open to talking to anyone who would like to explore real options for our university.

Lastly, I challenge our administration to truly recognize the emotion of these protestors. Their concerns are real. 1 in 4 college aged women and 1 in 10 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. This issue must be a priority. Michigan State has a unique opportunity to truly shape the lives of its students and promote a sense of responsibility, accountability, and a healthy community – particularly in the area of sexual assault. Let’s foster this passion and fight against sexual violence together.

If you or someone you know has questions or needs resources about sexual assault support programs in our community, please call the 24-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Line at (517)372-6666 or visit the Sexual Assault Program in Room 13A of Student Services.