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Sexual Assault Awareness #PCStaySafe

Staying Safe on Campus

College campuses can give you a sense of security—a feeling that everyone knows each other and watches out for one another. There are perpetrators who take advantage of this feeling of safety and security to commit acts of sexual violence.

We can all take steps to increase safety on college campuses. As bystanders, students can learn ways of stepping in to prevent crimes like sexual assault from occurring.

Federal Laws that Protect You on Campus

Title IX: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded educational programs and activities. Title IX declares that sexual harassment and sexual violence are prohibited forms of gender discrimination. Sex discrimination can include sexual harassment or sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion.

Violence Against Women Act: The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a federal law that supports response to crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. It was signed into law in 1994 and has been reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013.

The Jeanne Clery Act: The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal statute requiring colleges and universities participating in federal financial aid programs to maintain and disclose campus crime statistics and security information.

Definitions of Sexual Violence

Sexual Assault: Sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. Includes rape and unwanted sexual touching, among others.

Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the workplace or learning environment. Does not have to be of a sexual nature; can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex in general. May often occur in the form of "jokes" that cause discomfort.

Dating Violence: Physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse from a romantic or sexual partner. Includes emotional/verbal abuse, sexual assault/rape, and physical abuse.

Domestic Violence: Pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. Includes the use of physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, emotional abuse and economic deprivation.

Stalking: Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress.

Understanding Sexual Violence

In California, sexual assault is defined as touching the intimate part of another person against that person's will and for the specific purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, or sexual abuse. This is a misdemeanor sexual battery under the California sexual assault laws.

Sexual violence (SV) is a significant problem in the United States. SV refers to sexual activity when consent is not obtained or not given freely.

Anyone can experience SV, but most victims are female. The person responsible for the violence is typically male and usually someone known to the victim.

Sexual Violence Impacts Everyone: Sexual violence is a social and public health problem in the U.S. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), nearly 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men experienced sexual violence victimization other than rape at some point in their lives.

Victims Often Know the Person who Sexually Assaults Them: People who sexually abuse can be family members, friends, romantic partners, or other trusted individuals. They may use coercion, manipulation, threats, or force to commit sexual violence.

Victims Are Never the Blame: It doesn’t matter what someone was wearing, how they were acting, if they were drinking, or what type of relationship they had with the person who abused them.

Sexual Assault is Often not Reported

A person may not report what happened for many reasons, including:

  • Concern they won't be believed
  • Fear of retaliation
  • Distrust of law enforcement
  • Shame or fear of being blamed

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If You are Sexually Assaulted

It is important to know, the victim of the crime gets to decide how and if they want to report the crime. For example, the victim of a sexual assault can decide to report the assault to the college but not the Porterville Police Department.

If the victim decides to report the crime to the college only, they will still receive free resources (medical, counseling, assistance from victim rights) even if they do not want to identify the criminal suspect.

Preventing and Responding to sexual violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating/domestic violence and stalking are priorities for Porterville College.

If you are in danger or need help now, call 911. If you've experienced sexual violence and are not in immediate danger, find services and get help on campus.

Resources:

  • PC Campus Safety and Security 559-791-2440
  • PC Title IX Coordinator 559-791-2457
  • PC Safety and Security Manager 559-791-2459
  • PC Counseling 559-791-2329
  • PC Wellness Center 559-791-2212
  • Porterville Police 559-782-7400
  • Porterville District Attorney 559-782-9600
  • Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-273-7713
  • Sierra View Hospital 559-784-1110

Credits:

Created with images by Portervillecollege.financialaidtv.com, Adobe Spark students walking on campus, u_t-reckoningsexualassault-photo-original.jep, RAINN College-Age_Women_Are_At-Risk122016.png, National Sexual Violence Resource Center-I Believe And Support Survivors photo

YouTube videos: Lucy's Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgRz4GEp9mg, CDC What is Sexual Violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWctQH4C0P8

Credits:

Created with an image by inbal marilli - "People and their shadows"