Updated Process for Reporting Sexual Assault on Campus

1 www.fsutorch.com Single Issue Free, Additional Copies 50 Cents Week of Oct. 26 - Nov. 1, 2016 Ferris State University Graphic by: Jordan Lodge | Production Manager TORCH Truth, fairness and accuracy since 1931 Reporting rape Updated process for reporting sexual assault on campus Angela Graf to Grand Rapids and do it there because they do,’” said Carmody, Buffa and Cook all agree that one of the steps Whitney Buffa, an associate with the Women’s Informa- toward preventing these incidents lies in education. This News Editor tion Service, Inc. (WISE) in Big Rapids. “There are a lot of means educating students on issues of consent as well people that we’ve transported that would not have gone as what resources are at their disposal on and around During the 2015-16 academic year, Ferris’ Title IX pro- if we had not taken them there.” campus. gram conducted a climate survey in which 131 of 632 According to Barbara Cook, another WISE associate “I’ve heard often that the process seems daunting, student respondents reported experiencing unwanted specializing in sexual assault matters, oftentimes when and that if they knew more about how this process would sexual contact while attending Ferris State University. these things happen victims are already feeling vulner- run, that would increase their comfort,” Carmody said. 131 of 632 is 20.7 percent. If that ratio is extrapolated able. Carmody’s statement seemed to ring true as several to the 10,016 students on Big Rapids’ campus, it could “You’re telling someone that’s just gone through trau- students responded negatively when asked if they knew be assumed that roughly 2,073 students have experi- ma that they need to go somewhere else,” Cook said. the process of reporting a sexual assault at Ferris, follow- enced unwanted sexual contact while attending Ferris. “And a lot of times it’s nighttime going down to a big city ing the Five Star event Sex Signals in October. To contrast the results of this anonymous survey, in to have an exam done.” Ferris pre-optometry freshman Cole Barnhart said: Ferris’ 2015 Fire and Safety Report, a total of six reports Spectrum Health Center in Big Rapids is pioneering “No, I’m not completely sure.” were filed for forcible rape, and since 2013, there have the effort to make health care following sexual trauma Ferris marketing and sales junior Emily Gleason said: only been 13 reported sexual assaults. more accessible. This is through the implementation of “I don’t. My best guess is the police?” According to Ferris’ Title IX Coordinator and Associate Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs). However, Gleason knows secondhand through several Dean of Student Life Kevin Carmody, this is not unusual. SANEs receive special training regarding the collec- friends how harrowing the process of reporting sexual “Nationally, sexual assault remains one of the most tion of evidence from rape victims. These exams can be assault can be following an incident that occurred at a underreported crimes,” Carmody said. “Where it is es- performed up until 120 hours after the assault and can party near campus. timated that only about five percent will report to law take up to three hours to complete. This includes both “She was at a party at her own house and there was a enforcement and perhaps seven percent will report to an interview process portion, and a physical examination group of guys there,” Gleason said. “The guys took both University officials.” involving everything from the collection of pelvic swabs of them (her and her roommate) upstairs, and they both Until recently, Ferris students and Big Rapids resi- to nail clippings. were raped that night, in her own house. She wasn’t dents alike have been faced with another hurtle in the “If they want somebody to just hold their hand and talk taken seriously, and when she reported it, it was one of reporting process: a lack of ability to perform rape kits them through it, we can be there,” Buffa said. “We give those things where they told her it was going to be like in Big Rapids. them all the resources and all the things that they need nine to 12 months for them to even get results back from “They could present at the emergency room here and to know about the process so that the nurse can focus the DNA testing, so it kind of was brushed off.” be told, ‘well, we don’t have the people or the stuff to on what she’s doing and get the samples that she needs complete this forensic collection, but you can go down and be thorough in her job.” Sexual Assault | see page 2 Got news? Let us know. Like us on facebook Follow us on Twitter Add us on snapchat Watch us on youtube Email: [email protected] Ferris state Torch @fsutorch @fsutorch15 Fsu Torch Phone: 231.591.5978 Connect with us on social media - Read articles online at www.fsutorch.com 2 News Week of Oct. 26 - Nov. 1, 2016 Ferris State Torch “I don’t plan on living on campus next year just because the cost is way too NEWS expensive for such a small place that is shared,” - Amanda Ponce - See page 5 for story Angela Graf | News Editor | [email protected] SEXUAL ASSAULT Continued from page 1 According to both Carmody and Cook, oftentimes the hardest part of talking about sexual assault and filing a report is simple: making people believe the victim and fixing the theme of systemic victim-blaming. “I think that the primary barriers that keep survivors of sexual assault from coming forward are societal,” 1 out of every 10 rape victims is a male. Carmody said. “There is a powerful and unfortunately warranted fear that these individuals will be judged, disbelieved or otherwise discounted.” Buffa pointed out that these issues are already aris- ing with the women coming forward following the re- cent release of the Trump tapes. “The women that came out in the New York Times saying, ‘yeah, Trump sexually assaulted us…’ You already have people trying to discredit them,” Buffa said. “Why can we as a culture not just believe survivors?” Buffa thinks that in large part, the solution to this problem lies in giving a voice to the people being op- About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an pressed rather than those trying to discredit them. attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. “I think we give too much of a voice to people who hold factually wrong opinions or beliefs about sexual assault,” Buffa said. “I think that you allow people on TV who label what Bill Cosby did as a ‘sex scandal’ Every 2 minutes an rather than a sexual assault. I think that you have peo- American is sexually ple out there that are making the Trump thing about assaulted. the fact that he said ‘pussy’ rather than the fact that he talked about assaulting somebody.” “We will help people if they want to make a report, but we’re never going to push anybody,” Cook said. “Our support for survivors is unconditional, and if they need somebody to lean on, we can just be there for them.” 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of For more details on the process of reporting sexual an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% assault at Ferris, as well as information on opportuni- ties for student advocates to get involved, see the next completed, 2.8% attempted). issue of the Torch Wednesday, Nov. 2. To contact WISE call (231) 796-6600 and to report 54% of sexual assault victims any crime contact Ferris’ Department of Public Safety at (231) 591-5000. are ages 18-34. *All above information came from the RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network). Recognizing sex signals Five star event about the importance of consent Harley Harrison like they need to live up to and what those ste- reotypes, you know, kind of end up doing to our Torch Reporter culture,” Seeber said. Catharsis Productions is a national company Sexual consent is not something that can that travels to different colleges and universities easily be discussed. However, it’s an important in hopes of making a difference in how consent discussion in the prevention of sexual assault. is perceived, according to Du- Ferris Entertainment Unlimited hosted the fault. Five Star event “Sex Signals” Wednesday, Oct. “We try to normalize con- 19 in the UC with educators from Catharsis Pro- sent, try to get out the idea ductions to shed light on the culture of consent. that it’s not this awkward “Two people came in, they were really friendly thing, and once everybody and they showed us, in a good way, what con- starts asking for consent, it sent means and how we can help save people makes people who don’t care from bad decisions,” said Ferris pre-optometry Cole Barnhart really stand out and that’s a freshman Cole Barnhart. good thing, we want them to stand out,” Seeber According to Justin Stevenson, a Ferris hos- said. pitality management senior and a primary co- Their goal is also to provide support for sur- ordinator of the event, 300-400 students were vivors of sexual assault because it often goes expected to attend the five Star event for their unreported, according to Dufault. RSO’s, fraternities or sororities. “I think it’s a topic that a lot of people don’t “I think the event is important because it like to talk about or are really uncomfortable to gives the aspect and perspective of those talk about so it was nice to put a lighthearted who have this experience of being sexually as- edge onto it,” said Ferris mar- saulte,” Stevenson said.

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