Nearly one in four women will be a victim of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault during their time at college. Preventing sexual assaults has been a growing concern for many departments at Longwood University. For those who have been sexually assaulted, there are several resources available for receiving help.
Victims who decide to report their sexual assault or seek some sort of help can decide the level of assistance they receive. Victims can also choose to not report the assault.
Following the event of a sexual assault, if you require immediate assistance, going to the emergency room to receive help is the best option.
If you do not require immediate attention, however, Wellness Coordinator Sasha Trent and Director of Student Health and Wellness Margo Potts recommend students contact Piedmont Crisis Center (PCC) at 1-888-819-2926. From there, the victim can be taken to a hospital that has a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), such as St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond, Va. Not all hospitals are equipped with SANEs, so it is important to work with PCC to find a hospital that does provide these resources.
f the victim chooses to go to a hospital with SANEs, it is important to not shower, change clothes, brush teeth or do anything that could alter potential evidence. The nurse is able to do a full exam, collect samples and gather any other necessary items for evidence. Longwood Chief of Police Bob Beach explains the examination as "minimally invasive."
He said that having an exam by a nurse to collect any evidence does not mean the victim is forced to press charges or proceed forward with a court case; it simply preserves the ability to proceed with a legal case if the victim elects to do so later.
Trent said it is important to get this kind of exam done because in the immediate hours following the incident, a victim is likely not in a stable enough state to make a reasonable decision regarding how to proceed.
You cannot bypass this step, then go back and decide you want evidence. It is a better idea to have the exam and then not pursue the option later if that is what you decide. Through an examination, a victim will also receive an advocate. "[A victim's advocate] is a person that is an advocate for the victim that is not connected in any way to the victim," explained Potts, "They can speak for the victim or be of support for the victim as they are going through the process."
Sexual assault is not just sexual intercourse. "[Sexual assault is] something that has happened against your will, without your consent. It doesn't have to be intercourse, it can be any kind of sex," explained Potts.
Trent added that sexual misconduct is any sexual activity done without consent. All of these attacks have primarily female victims, but males can be victims as well.
One of the common feelings after a sexual assault is that of blame. If a victim is experiencing feelings of blame toward himself or herself, Potts encourages them to seek counseling. Trent acknowledges that it is a difficult position to be in because we are told to be aware of what we are saying and what our body language is saying. She reiterates it is never the victim's fault, but it is wise to be aware of our behaviors.
Potts said in many of the instances of victim blaming, the victim was using substance and could not make clear judgment calls. "However, even with that, if someone is feeling guilty, they need to talk to someone and work through that because they may be taking responsibility for things they shouldn't, and the problem with that is it can perpetuate behavior."
Victims who have been using substances should not let that come into play when they decide if they should seek treatment or report the incident. "You are always entitled to all your resources regardless," said Trent. She added, "When it comes down to reporting, you have to realize it is a challenge. You have an altered state of mind and situation, and you will be questioned about that. Don't take the questioning as 'they don't believe me;' it is just we have to figure out what happened."
Potts said the victim's advocate can help support them in that sort of situation.
It has also been Longwood Police's policy for some time that underage students who were intoxicated at the time of the assault and who report their assault will not be charged for the alcohol violation. "We are not going to charge you with an alcohol violation when you have been sexually assaulted. Now, the fact that you have been involved in the event, I can't change that. If there is self-guilt or self-issues about that, I can understand. I'm not going to use that as a way to punish you more," explained Beach.
"Sexual assault ... is about control, and it's not about any positive. It's about predatory behavior," said Potts.
One of the reasons the university wants assaults reported is in order to catch repeat offenders. Beach supports the idea of victims reporting their assault. "There is a responsibility, I think, to not only the victim to get justice but to also try to protect so that there won't be other victims. That's so my granddaughter, when she comes to Longwood, it won't be one in four. It will be one in 15. And I think we have an opportunity to do that," said Beach.
Victims can report anonymously if they are worried about consequences of reporting. Many victims do know their assaulters. Many people picture rape as a stranger jumping out of the bush, " ... But it may well be that guy you know who decides you are a tease, so he's going to get with you. And he won't stop until he does," said Potts.
Sexual assault is one of the major areas that Longwood Police focuses on, and they will be conducting a survey to get a better idea of the campus view on sexual assault in an effort to fight the problem more proactively.
"I've been looking at statistics, and it says that one in four college women will be a victim of sexual assault during her academic years. That's not acceptable. It's just not acceptable. So, we're going to establish a specific sexual assault report that should really help our officers who do come into contact with a victim," explained Beach.
If you want to receive more information about sexual assault, visit the sexual assault tab on the Health and Wellness Center webpage.
