Would You Know What To

Harding University Scholar Works at Harding The Bison Archives and Special Collections 4-29-2016 The Bison, April 29, 2016 Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.harding.edu/thebison April 29, 2016 NEWS 2A Vol. 91, No. 20 OPINIONS 3&4A SPORTS 1&2B FE ATURES 3B @HUStudentPubs LIFESTYLE 4B Facebook: The Link onlineonline at at thelink.harding.edu thelink.harding.edu Searcy,Searcy, Ark., Ark., 72149 72149 Do you know the procedure to report a Would you know sexual/assault crime to public safety? 84.7% what to 15.3% do? How likely would you be to report a sexual/assault crime, as a victim or A closer look at sexual crime witness, to public safety? reporting on campus. By Jordan Doyle and Hannah Moore At the end of March 2015, Student encourage the accurate and quick crime statistics from 2012-2014 and Life hosted its first Transparency reporting of all crimes to our ofce is updated every year. Starting in the 66% Chapel in Cone Chapel. During that on campus,” Russell said. “Our goal 2013 section, there are more subcat- 22.3% 7.4% discussion, students posed questions is that we want people to come to egories for crimes due to Congress’ 4.2% regarding sexual assault and reporting us. We work really hard to build the reauthorization of the Violence Against on campus. kind of relationship with our students Women Act (VAWA) in 2013. Tis “Not reporting assault is a national that they will trust us and come to us Act included amendments to the SCALE issue, and it is an issue at Harding,” when they face a situation.” Clery Act, requiring universities to 1- extremely unlikely senior Jennifer Wright said. “I argued According to a New York Times add categories in reports. Before 2013, 4 - extremely likely (at the panel) that the Student Life article from April 26, experts have there were only two categories of sexual Ofce did not seem like a safe place said that main reasons students ofenses: forcible and non-forcible. to report assault because there is not choose not to report crimes include After the VAWA was passed, rape, immunity for the victim.” fears of suspension, investigation fondling, incest and statutory rape How likely would you be to report Under-reporting crime is a nation- and scholarship loss. Page 12 of were all added under sex ofenses. a sexual/assault crime to public wide problem. In 2010, the Bureau of Harding’s student handbook states Russell said that Public Safety Justice Statistics said that 42 percent that students who voluntarily confess only tracks the types of crimes that safety if the situation implies of all crimes do not get reported. an involvement with alcohol will “be the federal government requires all your own violation of Hardng An online survey, conducted by the aforded an opportunity to submit to universities to track. For example, University regulations? Bison on April 20-23, asked students a range of (disciplinary) possibilities burglary is required to be documented, three questions about the reporting of up to but not including suspension but theft is not. sexual assaults on Harding’s campus. or expulsion.” “We are required to report very Results showed that 53.5 percent of Despite this statement in the specifc categories of crimes,” Russell the 215 students surveyed said they handbook, sophomore social work said. “We keep a crime log of any crime would be either extremely unlikely or major Chloe Goodman said she be- that is reported to our campus…If a unlikely to report a sexual assault on lieves most students are still fearful of crime is reported to us and that crime campus if the situation implied their reporting crimes that include violating is in one of those statistical areas, we’re own violation of Harding regulations. Harding’s code of conduct. required to report it. Tey always get Te violations could be drinking “Something I know for sure is that reported.” alcohol, being in the bedroom of students are terrifed of reporting sexual Public Safety is not required to someone of the opposite gender, or assaults or harassments if the incident include crimes that happen to students any one of the rules listed out in the involves any alcohol at all,” Goodman off campus, according to Russell. student handbook. In response to the said. “Tis means that some students In the crime report, there are three 20% survey results, Zach Neal, assistant have been able to sexually exploit and sections for the locations of crimes: 26.5% 22.3% vice president for student life, said he blackmail their peers because there is on campus, non-campus, and public 31.2% wants students to know that their safety alcohol present at the time ... Harding property. Non-campus locations refer comes frst when a crime is reported, does not grant immunity, so I’m sure to property that is owned by the uni- *Results compiled from a campus-wide even if rules have been broken. there are many (victims) who have versity but is not on campus. Public survey including 215 students. “We have top priorities: safety and not come forward.” property locations refer to the streets security and privacy of information,” Neal said that the administration is and sidewalks that are adjacent to the ACCORDING TO THE HANDBOOK ... Neal said. “Our goal is for students mindful of this fear students have, and university. If a crime is committed in to feel safe, for students to feel safe that he wants to remove any barriers a place that does not ft any of these Information specifically concern- reporting, and for students to know between students and administration locations, Public Safety does not ing sexual harassment and assault that we’ll pursue due diligence in in order to make students feel more include it in the crime report. is found on page 36 of the student following up on a report — at the comfortable reporting crimes. Russell said that Public Safety will, same time being mindful of their “I want (students) to feel at ease in however, do its best to help victimized handbook, under section 12, “general privacy and their need for information coming to me, especially when they students in whatever way it can. Neal information.” to remain private.” are in a tough situation,” Neal said. said the Student Life Ofce would do According to the handbook, sexual If a student breaks one of Harding’s “We currently have multiple ways for the same for those students. harassment and assault may be re- rules while being a victim or a witness students to report: online, in person, (on In the Bison survey, 84.7 percent ported to either the Office of Student to a crime, Neal said the student does the) phone. We’ll meet them outside of students said they did not know Life or the Office of Human Resources, not necessarily have immunity for the our ofce if an ofce is not the best how to report a sexual assault crime. depending on the accused aggressor. violation. However, he said the whole environment, and we are willing to Neal said that if a student needs to Any student who believes he or situation is taken into account before respond during the night.” report an on-campus or of-campus any kind of decision is made regarding Neal said that once a crime is re- crime as a victim or a witness, meeting she has been sexually harassed or disciplinary actions. ported, Public Safety and the Ofce of with a Student Life dean or a Public assaulted may seek redress through “We encourage everyone to come Student Life work closely together in Safety ofcer is best. “formal and informal procedures.” There forward with situations that have order to resolve the issue. If the crime “We ask students to report on-campus is no provided distinction between threatened their safety or security,” happens on campus, it is required and of-campus crimes in the same formal and informal, or what either Neal said. “We definitely want all by law under the Clery Act that the way,” Neal said. “Tis allows Public procedure would entail, except that students to feel comfortable reporting. crime be included in an annual public Safety to inform students of their formal procedures require a “signed We take all extenuating circumstances crime report document. Te Clery rights and help walk them through and verified written complaint.” into consideration before any kind of Act, passed in 1990, requires that all the process. It also allows Student decision is made. Our frst response universities that receive federal funding Life to help put students in contact Additionally, only reports brought is to make sure that the student is in share information regarding crime on with mental or physical healthcare forth by the victim are mentioned in a safe situation.” campus. According to Russell, there professionals.” the handbook. No options are pre- Craig Russell, director of Public is a daily crime log kept by Public Neal said that if students are fearful sented for a student who believes he Safety, said one of Public Safety’s Safety that documents all crimes that of reporting crimes to administration, or she has witnessed a sexual crime. main goals is to make students feel are reported on campus. Harding’s they should feel free to take advantage comfortable reporting crimes. crime report is compiled once a year of the deans’ open door policy. For a full breakdown of the sexual crime and reporting “When it comes to reporting crimes from daily logs kept by Public Safety.

Load more