Vol. 6, Issue .
Originally published January 22, 2014
President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum, to establish a White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. The Memorandum would dictate the collaboration of the Domestic Policy Council, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Attorney General, and other relevant government agencies, to develop a coordinated response to rape and sexual assault on university campuses.
This is in response to the now widespread reporting about university assault: The 2001 Justice Department report states that approximately 5% of all attempted and completed rapes are actually reported to the police. Of those reported, it is estimated that 20-25% of women experience completed or attempted rape.
UST has begun measures in response to this task force: it is university policy to assist victims with evidence gathering, filing a report of the offense, assisting with the investigation, and expulsion of convicted persons. Programs to raise awareness of sexual assault, such as mandatory residence seminars and Counseling and Disabilities events, are also apart of current university programs to deal with sexual assault on campus.
“Houston Area Women’s Shelter is a main body that we work with. They helped put together a number of programs here in the city of Houston,” said Marquis Gatewood, Assistant Director of Residence Life. “Part of not only the President of the United States mandate, but our own university president, has made dealing with this issue a priority for us across the board. We are working with them(Houston Area Women’s Shelter) because they are great at designing programs for our students."
In the past , only 40% of schools offered any sexual assault training and policies, and were typically only available to those working resident advisers and campus security, according to a 2005 report. UST has had policies in place for several years, and will implement additional training in response the Presidential Memorandum.
“I know absolutely that a group that we are focused on is our incoming freshmen,” Gatewood said. “Obviously, they are the ones who are going to be naive and the ones who do need to receive that message very quickly. Hopefully to not get in any situation that they don’t have the information to know how to get themselves out, or to get help.”
One of the charges that Dr. Ivany has given UST personnel is to make sure the campus community as a whole receives this information, so not only do we have to figure out the people coming in, but what we are also doing for those here right now. "The first start is to make it apart of new student orientation," said Gatewood. "I know part of our work with Houston Area Women’s Shelter is to create a program specifically for orientation, and also for our residents."
In accordance with the Clery Act, the 2010-2012 UST Crime Statistics Forcible Sexual Offences amounted to one on campus. The goal of any university is zero offences on campus, and to help achieve this goal, the response UST will implement will have some differences as a religious institution.
“At our last meeting in December, its not just about staying safe , not just about getting victim support, but about putting the information out there so that we are all involved in the safety and well-being for everyone,” Gatewood said. “That unfortunately means for the people that have the potential to victimize others. Obviously - and its not just limited to men - its means being proactive, and educating our young men how to behave around ladies, and how to respect that relationship.”
35% of men report at least some degree of likelihood of raping if they could be assured they wouldn't be caught or punished, according to a study by the Journal of Social Issues.
“Bringing in the Houston Area Women’s Center brought in that new perspective,” Gatewood said. “We tend focus on the victim, and teach girls how to prevent themselves from getting in that situation, but we don’t necessarily speak to those who have the potential to victimize others. I would very much hope that we implement this, and the Houston Area Women’s Shelter strongly recommends we put this in our programmes.”