Working effectively with people impacted by sexual assault

Arpana Vaniya and Jen Miller Fall 2008

Who we are



Arpana Vaniya

Intern, AVC/DOS Office Women's Studies Major 

Jen Miller

Student Development Educator AVC/Dean of Students Office (New Student Commons 381) 2-5000

Why we are here today

 You have already learned the definitions and laws in regards to sexual violence/violation  Our goal is to help you feel prepared to work effectively and sensitively with sexual assault survivors, witnesses, and/or alleged perpetrators

Why is care so important during hearings involving sexual assault survivors?

“Grace”-

Kathleen Hulka, Director and Producer

  

The story follows the lives of three women: a young aspiring ballerina, a twenty-something career woman and an elderly grandmother as they all become survivors of sexual assault. Grace is a tribute to the female spirit and its ability to triumph over violation, betrayal and disrespect. This film was made by a student in 2007 who had two friends who were sexually assaulted during their time at a college.

http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/7/index.php

?id=10

Why we are here today

 During the course of their college careers women are 4 times more likely to be sexually assaulted ( www.rainn.org/statistics )  Every 2 minutes someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted. ( www.rainn.org/statistics )  The reality at UCR is that sexual assaults have occurred (and could occur again) on our campus

60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police

( www.rainn.org/statistics )  Sexual assaults remain drastically underreported crimes  If a UCR student makes the difficult choice to report a sexual assault to the Student Conduct & Academic Integrity Programs office, we want you to feel prepared to work with the parties involved with care

Why sexual assaults are often unreported?

       Fear of not being believed Negative treatment/attitude by police/officials Survivors might consider their relationship with the alleged perpetrator Evidence collection-SART exams Length of court process Concern about family and friends You can help as a member of the Student Conduct Committee to make the process a bit easier!

What is a sensitive crime?

 “When we speak of "sensitive crimes" we are talking about crimes that require a little more sensitivity to be handled appropriately. Often these fall into the categories of sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, or other incidents where there is a strong emotional element involved” http://www.amherst.edu/~campuspolice/sexual_assault.html

Why sensitivity is important for the conduct process…

    The topic of sexual assault involves emotions and sometimes traumatic experiences. These are hard things to share with a big group of people A comfortable environment will help you to get the information that you need for your hearing with minimal emotional impact on the reporting parties Listening, offering comfort, and avoiding blaming language and/or questions is critical when working with people impacted by a sexual assault Our own bias’ could influence our reactions to the information presented

A note on language

 We prefer to use the term “survivor” verses “victim” when discussing a person who has been sexually assaulted  For our roles, we prefer “survivor” due to the word’s empowering connotations  Student Conduct & Academic Integrity Programs will be training you on the language that they prefer for you to use during committee reviews

To keep you on your toes…

 A quiz

What are the chances that a woman will be a survivor of a sexual assault in her lifetime?

 1 in a 1000  1 in a 100  1 in 50  1 in 3

What are the chances that a woman will be a survivor of a sexual assault in her lifetime?

 1 in a 1000  1 in a 100  1 in 50 

1 in 3

Where do the greatest number of sexual assaults occur?

 Home or apartment  Dark alley  Park or beach  A car

Where do the greatest number of sexual assaults occur?



Home or apartment

 Dark alley  Park or beach  A car

How long does the average sexual assault last?

    20 to 40 minutes 40 to 60 minutes 1 to 2 hours 2 to 4 hours

How long does the average sexual assault last?

 20 to 40 minutes  40 to 60 minutes  1 to 2 hours 

2 to 4 hours

What percentage of the time does the survivor and the alleged perpetrator know each other?

 10%  25%  50%  90%

What percentage of the time does the survivor and the alleged perpetrator know each other?

 10%  25%  50% 

90%

What percentage of sexual assaults occur in a dating situation?

    10% 25% 50% 75%

What percentage of sexual assaults occur in a dating situation?

 10%  25% 

50%

 75%

For more information regarding the information presented by the quiz…

http://www.rainn.org/ http://www.takebackthenight.org/ http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/ http://www.usdoj.gov/dea http://www.fda.gov/ http://www.drugabuse.gov/

College campuses

A national study that polled over 6,100 women at 32 college campuses of higher education revealed:

   95% of rapes on college campuses are not reported 1 in 6 women had been raped or had experienced attempted rape during the previous year 27% of the women polled experienced attempted intercourse by threat and/or force

http://www.rainn.org

College campuses (cont)

In another study of acquaintance rape on college campuses, it was found that:

 1 out of 9 college women had been raped  8 out of 10 survivors knew their attacker 

However, less than 5% reported the crime

http://www.rainn.org

College campuses (cont)

The American Association of University Women reported that:

 43% of college-aged men conceded to using coercive behavior to have sex but denied that it was rape  13 times as many rape survivors are more likely to attempt suicide than are people who are not survivors of rape http:// www.rain.org

Working with people impacted by sexual assaults can be difficult

 The survivor might be confronting a friend, partner and/or family member  The people involved in the hearing might be experiencing post traumatic stress disorder  Event details might be unclear

Confronting people you know

Continued Trauma:

Because the alleged perpetrators are often known to their survivors and are often someone with whom they socialize. Survivors of acquaintance rape often have to encounter their alleged assailants after the rape. Fear of such encounters can cause increased distress and humiliation for the survivors http://www.rainn.org/

Emotional reactions

                  Changed relationships Anxiety Shock Intense fear Depression Betrayal Fundamental loss of trust Disruption of daily life Loss of control Disbelief Denial or minimization Flashbacks Disorientation Guilt and self-blame Anger Isolation Vulnerability Sexual intimacy concerns

Post traumatic stress disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a normal human reaction to an extreme or abnormal situation. Each person has a different threshold for what is perceived as a traumatic event. PTSD is not a rare or unusual occurrence, in fact, many people experience PTSD as a result of a traumatic experience such as rape or sexual assault.

http://www.rainn.org/

Post traumatic stress disorder

A person may be experiencing PTSD following an event where they experienced and/or were threatened emotionally and/or physically:

     show symptoms of intense horror, helplessness, or fear experience distressing memories of the event (e.g., flashbacks, including nightmares) regularly avoid things or triggers that remind them of the event (e.g., people, places, things, etc.) show significant impairment or distress due to the event show at least two symptoms of increased arousal (e.g., sleep difficulties, difficulty concentrating, hyper vigilance, an exaggerated startle response, or irritability or outbursts of anger/rage)

http://www.rainn.org

Drug facilitated sexual assaults

Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault:

When drugs or alcohol are used to compromise an individual's ability to consent to sexual activity. In addition, drugs and alcohol are often used in order to minimize the resistance and memory of the survivor of a sexual assault www.911rape.org

Drug facilitated sexual assaults

Alcohol:

Alcohol is the most commonly used chemical in drug facilitated sexual assaults. In large part this is due to the fact that alcohol is easily accessible and a chemical that many people use in social interactions www.911rape.org

Alcohol

 Alcohol is found to be involved in

84%

of all acquaintance rapes.  An intoxicated partner cannot legally give consent. Intoxication does not provide a legal defense in cases of rape and sexual coercion.

 Consent can not be provided when alcohol is consumed regardless of blood alcohol content (BAC) http://www.ncsu.edu/health_promotion/Relationship/consent.html

Alcohol

  

Effects on the survivor:

 Ability to protect himself or herself is reduced Impaired judgment May not realize that a situation has become dangerous May have trouble handling or avoiding conflict    Perceptions of others not as clear Difficult to set limits Ability to resist, both physically and verbally, may be impaired

Effects on the alleged perpetrator:

 May misinterpret the behaviors of another as sexual interest. May feel justified to force himself or herself on a drunken partner because he/she views the drunken partner as being partially responsible for whatever happens.  May become increasingly aggressive and assertive www.911rape.org

Drug facilitated sexual assaults

Rohypnol:

A small white tablet that looks a lot like aspirin. It quickly dissolves in liquid and can take effect within 30 minutes of being ingested. The effects peak within 2 hours and may have lingering effects for 8 hours or more Effects:  Increased blood pressure   Memory impairment Muscle relaxation     Drowsiness Visual disturbances Dizziness Confusion   Unconsciousness Nausea/aspiration on own vomit www.911rape.org

Drug facilitated sexual assaults

     

GHB:

Pure GHB is commonly sold as a clear, odorless liquid or white crystalline powder. Because it is made in home labs the effects are often unpredictable. Once ingested, GHB takes effect in approximately 15 minutes and can last 3-4 hours Effects  Sedation of the body   Intense drowsiness Hampered mobility   Verbal incoherence Slowed heart rate Nausea, aspiration on own vomit Headache Respiratory failure Unconsciousness Seizure-like activity Coma, death www.911rape.org

Drug facilitated sexual assaults

Benzodiazepines:

Commonly prescribed as anti anxiety and sleeping medications in the United States, these drugs can be put into an alcoholic drink or soft drink in powder or liquid form. These are legal forms of Rohypnol Effects: Benzodiazepines can markedly impair and even abolish functions that normally allow a person to resist, or even want to resist, sexual aggression or assault www.911rape.org

GHB, GBL, Rohypnol, & Benzodiazepines:

      For all of these drugs,

alcohol increases the effects

All four of these drugs have some common effects that make them appealing to alleged perpetrators. Their sedative effect teamed with the drugs’ memory impairment qualities make them a common weapon of sexual assault They are typically odorless, colorless, and tasteless when placed in liquid (except for GBL). 5-30 minutes after ingestion, the survivor of the drugging may struggle to talk or move and may eventually pass out At this point the drugged individual is vulnerable to assault

A survivor of such an assault may have virtually no memory of the events that occurred

www.911rape.org

GHB, GBL, Rohypnol, & Benzodiazepines:

 Another factor that makes these drugs dangerous and difficult to detect is that they leave the body rapidly, leaving little time for detection  Rohypnol- leaves in 36-72 hours  GHB- leaves in 10-12 hours  GLB- leaves the urinary system within 6 hours and the blood stream within 24 hours www.911rape.org

Drug facilitated sexual assaults

Ketamine:

A fast-acting liquid that can be slipped into drinks. It can be used to sedate and incapacitate individuals in order to sexually assault them. Ketamine causes individuals to feel detached from their bodies and surroundings so that while they may be aware of what is happening to them, they are unable to move or fight back. In addition, it may cause amnesia so that they do not remember what happened Effects:  Dizziness   Confusion Hallucinations    Agitation Disorientation Impaired motor skills     High blood pressure Loss of consciousness Depression Potentially fatal respiratory failure www.911rape.org

Other drugs that might impact consent capabilities

 Marijuana  Some prescription drugs such as “Soma,” a muscle relaxant  Sleeping pills  Ecstasy

Consent



Consent

is based on a mutual choice 

Consent

is positive permission to voluntarily agree to receive or participate in sexual contact 

An individual is deemed incapable of consenting if he/she is known to be intoxicated, drugged, mentally incompetent, or below the age of 18

Helpful hints for working with a sexual assault survivor

 Resist seeing survivors as victims  Get support for your own feelings  Be familiar with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder   Avoid “blaming language” Don’t pry-what do you NEED to know for purpose of the hearing?

 Consider your own intentional/unintentional bias’

Options for UCR students

 When advocates meet with a student reporting a sexual assault, our role is to listen and provide options  Our role is not to make decisions for the students, but to empower them to make a full range of informed decisions  We often follow-up so that the survivor does not feel alone

Options for you

      You may also experience a variety of feelings when working with people whom are discussing sexual violence/violation Confidentiality is important, but taking care of yourself is also critical!

The Student Conduct & Academic Integrity Programs staff are available to serve as confidential ears The Women’s Resource Center, Title IX/Sexual Harassment Office , and AVC/Dean of Students Office staff are available to talk with you about “situations in general” verses case specifics. We can be there to point you in the right direction towards appropriate resources The Counseling Center is also a confidential space for you to access assistance The Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center is a resource for survivors and for people working with survivors of sexual assault

Resources

  Women’s Resource Center (951) 827-3337 AVC/Dean of Students Office (951) 827-7344        Title IX/Sexual Harassment Office (951) 827-7070 Campus Safety Escort Service (951) 827-3772 Campus Police (951) 827-5222 Campus Health Services (951) 827-5972 Housing Judicial Affairs Office (951) 827-6350 Counseling Center (951) 827-5532 Student Conduct & Academic Integrity Programs (951) 827-4208

Additional resources

        R.E.A.C.H. and Golden Arches Peer Educators Sexual Assault Survivor’s Support Group Quarterly Self Defense Course City of Riverside Police Department, 951-787 7911 Victim/Witness Assistance Center, 951-955-5450 Affordable Legal Services, 951-787-8134 Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center, (951) 686 7273 RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network 1-800-656-4673

Additional resources

        Victims of Crime Resource Center, 1-800-842-8467 National Sexual Violence Resource Center http://www.nsvrc.org

Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention 1-951-686-4357 Adult Survivors of Sexual Assault 1-951-686-7273 24-hr Rape Hotline, 1-951-686-7273 Domestic Violence 24-hr Crisis Line 1-951-683-0829 Alternatives to Domestic Violence 1-

201-336-7575

Genesis Shelter, 951-689-7847