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SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH APRIL 2016 Kent County Sexual Assault Prevention Action Team Annual Newsletter WHAT IS SEXUAL VIOLENCE? Sexual violence happens in every community and affects people of all genders and ages. The impacts of sexual violence affect A LOOK AT THE individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. You can learn the facts about sexual violence and play an active role NUMBERS... in changing misconceptions. FACTS ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE WHAT IS SEXUAL VIOLENCE? WHY NOT REPORT? Sexual violence is any type of unwanted There are many reasons why someone •Nearly 1 in 5 women in the United States sexual contact. This can include words and may choose not to report to law have experienced rape or attempted rape actions of a sexual nature against a enforcement or tell anyone about an some time in their lives. person’s will and without their consent. experience. • In the United States, 1 in 71 men have Consent is voluntary, mutual, and can be Some include: experienced rape or attempted rape. withdrawn at any time. Reasons someone • Concern about not being believed might not consent include fear, age, illness, • Fear of the attackers getting back at • An estimated 32.3% of multiracial women, disability, and/or influence of alcohol or them 27.5% of American Indian/Alaska Native women, other drugs. • Shame or fear of being blamed 21.2% of non-Hispanic black women, 20.5% of • Pressure from others not to tell non-Hispanic white women, and 13.6% of A person may use force, threats, • Distrust of law enforcement Hispanic women were raped during their manipulation, or coercion to commit • Belief that there is not enough lifetimes. sexual violence. Anyone can experience evidence sexual violence, including children, teens, • Desire to protect the attacker • Nearly 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men have adults, and elders. Those who experienced sexual violence victimization sexually abuse can be acquaintances, other than rape at some point in their lifetime. family members, trusted individuals, or strangers. SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS N O T A L W A Y S A PREVENTABLE We can all help create a culture of S T R A N G E R empathy, respect, and equity. • Nearly 3 out of 4 adolescents (74%) who FORMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE Prevention starts with challenging have been sexually assaulted were victimized • Rape or sexual assault victim-blaming and believing survivors by someone they knew well. One-fifth (21.1%) • Child sexual assault and incest when they disclose. In your personal were committed by a family member. • Sexual assault by a person’s spouse or life, you can model supportive partner relationships and behaviors and speak • In 2005-10, about 55% of rape or sexual • Unwanted sexual contact/touching up when you hear sexist, racist, assault victimizations occurred at or near • Sexual harassment transphobic, or homophobic the victim’s home, and another 12% occurred • Sexual exploitation and trafficking comments. Each of us is essential in at or near the home of a friend, relative, or • Exposing one’s genitals or naked body to challenging harmful attitudes and the acquaintance. other(s) without consent societal acceptance of rape. • Masturbating in public • Watching someone in private acts without their knowledge or permission UNDER-REPORTING HELP IS AVAILABLE LEADS TO LACK OF For free and confidential sexual assault crisis services, contact the 24-hour THE VICTIM IS NEVER AT FAULT PUNISHMENT YCWA West Central Michigan hotline: •The majority of sexual assaults, an It doesn’t matter what someone is 616.776.7273 (RAPE). estimated 63%, are never reported to the police. wearing or how they are acting, victims are never to blame. A person may use • The prevalence of false reporting cases of force, threats, manipulation, or coercion sexual violence is low, yet when survivors come to commit sexual violence. An absence of forward, many face scrutiny or encounter barriers. injuries to the victim does not indicate consent. These statistics and more can be found and www.NSRV.org/SAAM. PREVENTION IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY WHAT YOU CAN DO As individuals, all of us have a role to play in creating safe environments. We can all: • Intervene to stop problematic and disrespectful behavior • Promote and model healthy attitudes, behaviors, and relationships • Believe survivors and assist them in finding resources. "PREVENTION IS POSSIBLE" IS THE THEME OF THIS APRIL'S SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH. IT TAKES MANY VOICES W H A T C O M M U N I T I E S AND ROLES TO PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE. THIS APRIL, WE'LL FOCUS ON DIFFERENT WAYS TO TAKE ACTION TO PROMOTE C A N D O SAFETY, RESPECT, AND EQUALITY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, Communities and organizations VISIT NSRVS.ORG/SAAM OR CHECK OUT #SAAM also have a role to play in serving as leaders on this issue by: WHAT IS PREVENTION? BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION • Creating and strengthening policies to Prevention aims to stop sexual violence The time for prevention is now. Join promote safety, equality, and respect before it has a chance to happen. It is us in promoting safe behaviors, • Assessing the risks in their environment possible to create communities where thoughtful policies, and healthy • Promoting respectful behaviors everyone is treated with respect and relationships. Your efforts are • Providing support for survivors equality. This can be done by promoting important and necessary. Together, • Holding those who harm others accountable safe behaviors, thoughtful policies, and we can create safe and equitable and ensuring that appropriate treatment healthy relationships. communities where every person is options are available. treated with respect. Prevention strategies that address the root causes and social norms that allow sexual violence to exist in the first place are the most effective. This means Sexual violence is making the connection between all a widespread WHAT BUSINESSES forms of oppression (including racism, problem, sexism, homophobia, ableism, adultism, CAN DO ageism and others). Oppression creates but the good news • Promote prevention and support for a culture in which inequality thrives and is that it is survivors through policies and education violence is seen as normal. • Model healthy attitudes and preventable. relationships with clients and consumers Many communities are already reducing • Promote positive messages and behaviors the risk of sexual violence through through marketing campaigns efforts that promote safety, respect, and advertising content equality, and accountability. • Invest funding to make sexual violence prevention a social responsibility priority. EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM A L O O K A T S E X U A L A S S A U L T P R E V E N T I O N A N D R E S P O N S E A T L O C A L C O L L E G E S A N D U N I V E R S I T I E S B Y K A T I E E L G E R S M A , K E N T C O U N T Y H E A L T H D E P A R T M E N T C O L L E G E I N T E R N 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men in the United States are Calvin College, a four-year, private college with sexually assaulted while attending college. Both male N religious affiliation, faces unique challenges in its and female sexual assault is not reported a staggering I approach to sexual assault prevention. According to 90% of the time, leaving the perpetrator unpunished, V the institution’s Title IX Coordinator, Deirdre Honner, while the victim faces the life-altering aftereffects of L there has been some pushback from the Calvin the assault. Colleges (public, two-year, and private) in community against the need for trainings and there the Grand Rapids area show statistics no different A are some that believe that sexual assault does not exist than the national averages of sexual assault, while the C on a Christian campus. Deirdre and other Calvin crime remains underreported. In the past few years, employees have focused on a holistic approach and “a there has been a major growth in campus-wide sexual mindset of compassion, grace, and respect” in sexual assault education and awareness. assault prevention and education at Calvin. Through the use of online training modules, residence hall Locally, students at Grand Valley State University programming, and staff and student leader workshops (GVSU), Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), in a “teach the teacher” format, Dierdre believes that and Calvin College receive education about sexual Calvin is making steps in the right direction. assault through various outlets offered by the schools. These include online training modules, peer education As Title IX Coordinator at a college with a high theater groups, faculty and staff orientation sessions, C turnover rate and an all-commuter student body, student leader trainings, and posters, brochures, and C Grand Rapids Community College's Kimberly videos circulating the campuses. In order to organize R DeVries focuses on connecting with as many students these efforts, the campuses employ Title IX as possible to get the word out about resources Coordinators to work with students, faculty, staff, and G available. Trainings must be developed for a others who take action and start the discussion about nontraditional student audience, which in the past sexual assault on campus. Each campus faces unique have included online videos, healthy relationships challenges with sexual assault prevention and trainings, and working with the leaders of student awareness, which the coordinators must take into organizations and athletics. Typically, GRCC’s account in their work. reporting involves a situation off campus with a U nonstudent perpetrator, so Kimberly stresses the need S At GVSU, Title IX Coordinator Theresa Rowland has for many members of the community to be involved.

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