Students Speaking Out on Campus by Blogger Jade

When you are a college student, it may seem like the ‘real world’ is a ways a way.  Ahhh I’m going to have a real job soon, not be able to naps in between classes, and have the responsibility of all my own bills and expenses.  I remember feeling this way and also feeling like my opinions and my voice did not have that big of an impact. 

In October on campus we celebrated domestic abuse awareness month.  This was this first time I noticed students on campus speaking out, scratch that maybe it was the first time I really listened.  I was taking a Women’s Rights class and was learning about obviously women’s rights so I became interested in the activities surrounding domestic abuse awareness month.  One activity was Women on Wednesdays, this actually happened throughout the semester and featured women speakers on a variety of topics.  During the month of October domestic abuse and sexual abuse survivors told their stories.  Some were older women who spoke at a variety of venues, others were panels of survivors that told their stories, and would answer questions from the audience. 

It was very powerful to hear the stories of all the women, but something really spoke to me when I heard the stories of fellow students.  Here were people my age telling their stories of survival and having an impact on their peer group.  It seems to me that I generally put forth a larger effort to listen to someone I can relate to.  Now upon reflection I can realize the importance of students speaking out, it holds so much power.

As I approached the end of my undergrad I was asked to sit on a panel during a Women on Wednesday, and I declined, due to some frivolous work conflict.  I really wish I would have taken that opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences with my peer group.  I greatly regret not taking this opportunity to realize my voice and the impact it could have had on students.

This semester when you are on campus and students are speaking out about something that interests you take the time to stop and listen.  It may learn something about yourself or it just might in a way change your life.  Also if you get the opportunity to speak out on campus take it, what you have to say can impact someone else's life.

Rise For What Is RIght by Benedictine University blogger Karly Sacco

The media is a huge influence on what people do and say every day. It is subliminally impacting us young adults through music, movies, fashion and everything in between. There really is no way to escape the pressure of being just like some celebrities. The worst part is that most of them don’t even look like how the media portrays them in the magazines and on television. Take away the airbrushes and the magic of Photoshop and they are just like all of us, an every day person. The media holds us to such high standards that quite honestly are not realistic. This is a problem especially for people in their early 20’s. We sometimes become afraid to speak our minds because we don’t want to be judged by what others think of us. The idea that if we do not act “normal” or what is thought of as normal, all eyes will be on us. College students have become afraid to raise awareness about important issues that happen on campus because of this very idea. This notion needs some rethinking.

A lot of people are afraid of the idea of standing out and being different. Although, being put under a spot light isn’t always a bad thing. If you are standing up for something that you believe in and want to make a difference, then by all means please speak your mind. I feel that the college life is the same for most people. Get up, go to class, eat, study, and hang out with friends. Most people have a routine and it is hard for them to break it. Most people just got about their days seeing and hearing things that they want to speak up about, but are too nervous to say anything. I feel that the media made society this way. They have put the idea in our heads that fitting in and confiding to the every day norm is something we should all be doing.

We need to break the norm and prove people wrong. Stand up for what is right and don’t care what other people think about you. If you see or hear something about someone being a victim of a sexual assault, don’t be afraid to get him or her help. On the other hand, if you are the victim, do not be scared to get help as well. You are not alone and you will not be judged.

The media gives people the power to believe that they can be something that they are not. A sexual assault attacker could use this power in a negative way. College is a time for learning and discovering yourself. Learn what is right and what is wrong with the media and do not let it influence you to be someone you’re not, somebody perfect, someone that is non-realistic. Just be you and you can raise awareness and stop hiding behind a digital wall. Facebook and Twitter are not going to help you when serious issues like sexual assault occur on your campus. Action needs to be made in person. So put your cellphone down, close your laptops for a few hours, and confront the reality of spreading awareness.

Courage in danger is half the battle won by blogger Snehal Gajare

I’m wounded; my heart, my mind and my soul are screeching in pain.

I’m choked with fear, striving to breathe again and again.

Everything seemed to have come to a standstill..................................  

Then came the moment filled with hope and not despair;

I mustered courage and was aware;

I was no more a victim but a courageous fighter, as

I had emerged as a Survivor.

Domestic violence and sexual assault are heinous of crimes committed against humanity. In the present days, these crimes have reached increasing heights resulting in a social outcry from various organisations, volunteers and various sects of people across the globe. According to me Domestic violence occurs when an individual is victimized through assaults, attacks, abuse by a partner who is in an intimate relationship with that individual. In certain cases, it may include abuse by a family member too. The scope of domestic violence is extremely wide and can also include sexual assault. On the other hand, Sexual assault is also a victimization of an individual through any sexual activity without his/her consent. Sexual assault includes any form of sexual harassment, exploitation, unwanted sexual contact, rape, and sexual abuse.  Domestic violence is committed by a person who is always known to the victim whereas in case of sexual assault, the perpetrator may or may not be known to the victim.

In cases of domestic violence the situation is extremely difficult due to the emotional involvement of the victim with his /her assailant. In such cases emotions like love, affection, and pity can overpower the victim’s persona and he/she may be reluctant to accept the very fact that he/she is in an abusive relationship and fails to come in terms with the magnitude of betrayal. In sexual assault cases, the victim is in a non-plussed situation trying to figure out why he/she had to go through such a devilish, ill-fated punishment without any fault on their part. Social stigmatization of the victims is another nightmare that the victims have to deal with. Victims of domestic violence and sexual assaults are often drowned into the dark alleys of victim -blaming and self blaming.

I’m neither a doctor nor a counsellor but just a common woman.  As a woman I feel every victim (he/she) is a survivor who deserves to heal. You always have the right to say “No” and “Stop”.  Life is beautiful and you should not opt to live with fear. You ought to speak up if you wish to receive help.  Speak up your mind to your near and dear ones. Joining support groups can help you in perceiving things differently.You can also get help through professional counselling. Try to build up your confidence. You are not alone. Remember, you have survived; and that’s because you are strong enough to fight your way out.

When Love Gets In The Way by blogger Karly - Benedictine University

A situation becomes a lot more difficult when the victim of sexual assaults is in a relationship with the person that is assaulting them. The emotional attachment that the couple shares has the power to overcome the fact that their relationship is extremely unhealthy. It would be different if the person that was abusing the victim was not “in love “ with them, but when you add love into the mix it can become messy. We have to take these factors into consideration when addressing sexual assault prevention to the assailant that is dating the victim. Since the assailant is in a relationship with the victim it would be appropriate to have them take part in the same prevention program.

I can see why this could cause a few issues. The victim might be scared to even be in the same room as their attacker when discussing the events that has gone on in their relationship. So it might be easier to calmly sit down with them individually and figure out their separate stories. Don’t accuse either of them of anything. Just listen to their story to figure out if there is any deeper meaning as to why the abuse is occurring. Then once there is somewhat of an understanding, sit them together and have them talk about their problems in a healthy way.

For some reason it is so hard for me to express how I feel about this topic. I thought it would be easy to just rant on about how awful it would be to suffer in a relationship where sexual abuse is present. But all that keeps coming to my mind is that there is no excuse for abuse. It is just unnecessary and sickening. I am fortunate to be in a loving relationship with someone that I trust and know will never turn on me this way. I am no doctor. I cannot prescribe medication to someone that is suffering with abuse. I am here to express what I think can be done to prevent these acts from occurring in the future.

This subject is far from easy to talk about, but unfortunately it happens so we must find a way to help those in need. You never know what a person is going through. I am not defending the assailant in this case, but they could have a really messed up past. They might have not always been this way with their partner. They could have been a very loving person, and something small could have triggered the insanity and caused them to sexually abuse their partner. Like I said, you never know a persons full story by just looking at them. It is hard to share what I would do in this situation because when you truly love someone, it makes it that much harder to leave him or her when something like this happens. You believe they will change back into the person you remember. We need to start by listening to a person’s story, and then take it from there. I am no expert, but I know that it feels good to vent.

               

No Exceptions by Saint Louis University blogger Abigail

The National Institute of Justice states that 85-90% of sexual assault victims know their assailant. It does not imply that all of those victims are in an intimate relationship with their partner, but a relationship nonetheless. This makes the concept of sexual assault that much harder to address – as a friend, you might see warning signs of abuse but not want to make a confrontation out of it; as part of the relationship, you might deny that the other person would ever do anything to hurt you.

As a society, we need to put emphasis on the value of communication in relationships. A healthy relationship of any type requires communication. A loving partner knows that the other partner’s feelings and moods are subject to change and that is okay. Yes means yes; no, maybe, any sort of hesitation, saying nothing… means no. “We’ve done it before” doesn’t give infinite consent. Whether the assailant is someone’s partner of 10 years, 3 weeks, or not at all, they are not the exception to this rule. Consent is important every time.

By supporting concepts like “yes means yes”, the conversation about sexual assault becomes more and more preventative. It is important to speak up for yourself and those around you, but mostly to continue to remove the taboo from the conversation on sexual assault, and to treat your body as your own and your partner’s body as his/her own, no exceptions.

Intimate Partner Violence: Prevention and Infomation by Blogger Jade

                More and more colleges are adding sexual assault prevention programs to their curriculum.  It may be represented as a one-time seminar, added to a list of other safety prevention programs on campus.  This is an incredible initiative, which informs student’s valuable information about how to protect themselves. 

Some view sexual or physical assault as being committed by someone the survivor does not know, this does happen.  A percentage of sexual assault is committed by someone the survivor does know, perhaps someone the survivor is in a relationship with.  Intimate partner violence also is something that can happen in a relationship. This can be hard sometimes to recognize.  The person you are in a relationship with cares about you, does things for you, and may love you.  How could this person hurt you?  It does happen and no one deserves to become a victim of intimate partner violence. 

Colleges are making leaps to include knowledge on sexual assault prevention, but also should include intimate partner violence.  Some campuses have made efforts that include knowledge on intimate partner violence. When I was still on campus I remember seeing signs about what is ok in a relationship, and what is not ok.  It was a nice visual and a wake-up call for some but other measures can be taken.  Awareness walks, panels of survivors to speak on campus, and support groups are an excellent way to raise awareness about intimate partner violence.

Going back to grad school this semester, being on campus and seeing all the on campus activities in full swing makes me really excited.  It is great to see campuses adding information on sexual assault and intimate partner violence.  Both topics can empower and inform students about how to stay safe and have an excellent college experience. 

Off to Freshmen Year Prepared! by blooger Jade

Going off to school can be an exciting time!  With that excitement comes some fear: will I do well in classes?, will I like my roommate?, what is the college experience going to be like?   With so much to think about it sometimes can be hard to forget about the important details of keeping yourself safe in your freshmen year.  Becoming a victim of rape is not something that happens to “those people,” it can happen to anyone at anytime

The good news is that you can take some precautions to protect yourself.  Traveling with a friend or a group is a great way to explore campus, also an excellent way to travel at night.  Be cautious with your information, in the first couple of weeks you are meeting so many new people.  While it is an exciting time remember that not everyone may be your friend.  Giving out personal information to numerous people may not be the wisest decision.  Also taking a self-defense class is a great idea, you can work out and learn how to protect yourself at the same time.

Freshmen year is an amazing part of the college experience; however, it can be so much more enjoyable if you take the time to implement a few safety measures.