Changing the Campus Culture
Surrounding Sexual Violence:
A Plan for SUNY Buffalo State
Contributors:
Annie Connors
Jennifer McLaurin
Anthony Nicosia
Joanna Stein
“We must do more to raise awareness
about the realities of sexual assault;
confront and change insensitive attitudes
wherever they persist, enhance training
and education in the criminal justice
system, and expand access to critical
health, legal and protection services for
survivors.”
President Barack Obama, April
Introduction
In response to President Obama’s call to
address sexual assault on college campuses
nationwide, and to our own students’ desire
for the same, SUNY Buffalo State has
developed a task force to address sexual
violence on our campus.
The Cold Hard Facts
• 1 in 5 women has been sexually assaulted while in
college
• Most victims know their assailants
• It’s not just women, almost 1.6 million men have
reported being raped at some point in their
lifetime
• College survivors of sexual violence suffer high
rates of depression, drug or alcohol abuse and
PTSD
(The White House Council on
Women and Girls, 2014)
Objectives
The task force will develop programs, policies and protocols
that:
• Prevent sexual misconduct
• Change the paradigm from victims protecting themselves
from sexual violence to a culture where sexual violence is
considered unacceptable and bystanders take an active role
in prevention
• Clarify myths v. facts about sexual violence
• Accommodate the unique needs of survivors of sexual
violence
• Ensure the rights of those accused of sexual
• violence are met
• Educate the campus community on how to define
“consent”
Involvement
To address the issue of sexual violence on our campus, we
recognize that everyone must be involved. Programs, policies
and protocols developed by the task force will address and
engage the entire campus community. Additionally, the task
force itself will consist of members from different parts of the
campus community including:
•
•
•
Student Affairs Educators from multiple functional areas
Faculty Members from a variety of disciplines
Students who are passionate about addressing the
issue of sexual violence on campus
How Will the Task Force Work?
• Task force meetings will be held biweekly
• Committees will be formed to work on specific
initiatives*
• Annual meetings after implementation of all new
initiatives, policies and procedures is complete*
• Programs will be assessed annually*
Policies & Procedures
• Current institutional policies and procedures
regarding sexual violence will be reviewed by the
task force to ensure that federal, state and local
regulations are being met and that the policies and
procedures in effect are practical and appropriate.
Revisions will be made as needed.
• All policies and procedures will be reviewed by
the task force annually and revised if necessary.
Policies & Procedures
• New policies and procedures will be developed
where none exist. The task force will ensure that
any newly developed policies and procedures are
practical, appropriate and meet any federal, state
and local regulations.
• Policies and protocols will address, but will not be
limited to sexual assault, relationship violence,
sexual harassment and stalking. Policies will
included definitions of each of these forms of
sexual violence.
Initiatives
• Health and Counseling Center Involvement
• Student Education, Training and
Involvement
• Faculty, Staff, Administration (FSA)
Education and Involvement
• Campus Awareness
Health and Counseling
Center Initiatives
• Develop a 24 hour sexual violence hotline with
texting capabilities*
• Recruit volunteers to serve as advocates*
• Develop group counseling sessions for survivors
and friends.
Health and Counseling
Center Initiatives
• Make informational materials available
in waiting areas at Health and
Counseling Centers*
• Require Health and Counseling Center
staff to attend both sexual violence
training and a diversity workshop
annually in an effort to ensure that staff
are prepared to accommodate
survivors from all populations.
• Ensure that there is at least one
Student Education, Training and
Involvement: SCREAM Theatre
• Develop SCREAM theatre peer education
improvisational theatre program
Implement SCREAM theatre as a part of New
Student Orientation
Organize SCREAM theatre performances in
residence halls
Student Education, Training and
Involvement: SCREAM Theatre
SCREAM theatre (Students Challenging Realities
and Educating Against Myths) educates audiences
on issues of interpersonal violence, specifically on
sexual assault, domestic and dating violence,
stalking and sexual harassment.
Student Education, Training and
Involvement: SCREAM Theatre
• Student educators receive training and information
regarding interpersonal violence, develop fictional
charters and get comfortable with acting
• Student educators then develop scenarios based on
occurrences on their campus and act these
situations out in front of an audience of their
peers*
• There is no script, so no two performances are
identical
Student Education, Training and
Involvement: SCREAM Theatre
• After the performance, peer educators stay in
character and field questions from the audience*
• In the final stage of the program, educators come
out of character, introduce themselves, explain the
importance of their character and provide an
educational message addressing sexual violence
• Audience members are provided with important
resources at the conclusion of the performance*
Student Education, Training and
Involvement: SCREAM Theatre
Why SCREAM Theatre?
• Research shows that peer education on the topic
of sexual violence is more effective when
facilitated by peers than by professionals
(McMahon, 2014)*
• After attending a SCREAM performance,
audience members have shown:
A significant decrease in rape myth acceptance
A significant increase in positive attitudes to intervene
as a bystander (McMahon, 2014)
Student Education, Training and
Involvement: SCREAM Theatre
Why SCREAM Theatre?
• It promotes bystander intervention. This
approaches sexual violence as a community issue
not just an issue for the victim*
• It is cost effective, well received by students and
emotionally powerful form of engagement
FSA Education and Involvement
• Work with Counseling Center to develop
Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence Awareness
Training geared toward campus employees
• Training will be developed using the
Counseling Center’s existing Active Bystander
program as a foundation.
FSA Education and Involvement
What Will the Training Include?
• Institution’s sexual offense statistics which are tracked in
accordance with the Clery Act
• Information about the SaVE Act
• Bystander intervention training*
• A review of campus policies and procedures surrounding
sexual violence
• Detailed instructions on what to do if a student or
colleague reports that they have been a victim of sexual
violence
• How to promote a campus culture where sexual
violence is unacceptable
FSA Education and Involvement
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•
•
•
•
Who Will Be Required to Participate?
Faculty
Professional Staff
Paraprofessional Staff
Administrators
Union Employees
Campus Awareness Initiatives
• Design Activities for Sexual Violence Awareness
Week*
• Launch a poster campaign throughout campus
• Utilize social media to educate the campus
community about sexual violence and sexual
violence prevention
Campus Awareness
Awareness Week
Events
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
Monday, April 7th 2014
8pm in the Campus Lounge
CONSENT IS SEXY
Tuesday, April 8th 2014
6pm in the Campus Lounge
Campus Awareness
Awareness Week
Events
WHAT IS CONSENT?
Wednesday, April 9th, 2014
12-2pm in the Outdoor
Quad
FIND YOUR VOICE CAMPAIGN
Thursday, April 10th, 2014
3pm in the Residents Halls
Campus Awareness
Awareness Week
Events
TEAL FLAG SILENT MARCH
Friday, April 11th, 2014
1pm in the Outdoor Quad
Campus Awareness
Social Media Campaign
• Create a “Buffalo State United Against Sexual
Violence” Facebook page and post information, facts
and current articles. Encourage students to “like” this
page by including “Like us on Facebook” on all
informational materials including bookmarks,
brochures and posters
• Create a twitter account and regularly post
“fast facts”
• Record SCREAM Theatre performances and
post on YouTube
• Educate students about the “Circle of 6” app and
Funding
The task force will apply for a grant
from the Justice Department’s Office on
Violence Against Women to fund the
initiatives presented here.
References
McMahon, (2014). Utilizing Peer Education Theater for the Primary
Prevention of Sexual Violence on College Campuses. Journal
of college student development, 55(1), 78.
Rape and Sexual Assault: A Renewed Call to Action. The White
House
Council on Women and Girls, January 2014.