2008 Woodie Awards
Rape reports cause groundswell of action
Student groups, housing facilities and faculty work to create 'culture of awareness'
Dane Schumann
Issue date: 10/13/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
In response to reported rape incidents at student housing facilities near the Kirkwood Community College campus, a few organizations have begun to summon their resources in an attempt to prevent more incidents from occurring.
Most of the efforts will focus on information and a contribution to heightening the awareness level of students.
Some measures were implemented before both rape reports, including the Student Health and Wellness Advisory Committee (SHWAC) that was set up at the beginning of the school year. The committee is made up of approximately 15 students and works in conjunction with Campus Health and the Rec Center. Students who are interested in joining or supporting the committee are encouraged to do so and may speak with either Campus Health or Rec Center staff to become involved.
"We're trying to create a multi-pronged attack when we look at this problem," said Professor of Social Sciences Nancy Sauerman, "we're all [the faculty] trying to work with this student organization. . . because the thing is students need to have a stake in this, too." Sauerman added that one of her students said that "If you can curb drinking you can cut down on the number of these things (sexual assaults) quite dramatically I think."
Sauerman's involvement has come in the way of compiling information from the college's faculty members and distributing it to her students in class and over the web.
Sauerman envisions an active and effective organization to assist in not only the information and awareness process but also one with the capacity to council and help victims of sexual assault. She mentioned it could take a while because "the wheels in any large organization tend to move slowly." However, she said she does believe organizations like SHWAC and other groups are a significant step in the right direction.
The Kirkwood Village is now working with SHWAC and KCC to set up an informational seminar in an effort to raise awareness levels among both residents and students.
The seminar is planned to feature a speaker from the area who is knowledgeable on the subject. As of now, plans for the seminar including dates, times and speakers, are tentative.
According to sources close to the investigation, neither incident involved an assailant who was not an acquaintance of the alleged victim.
Recreation and Housing Services Director Josh Troutman commented that circumstances similar to the aforementioned ones are not uncommon because "in the vast majority of sexual assaults, the victim has some relationship or acquaintance with the assailant. . . While it in no way makes the incidents less serious, it does impact the awareness level and message we want to communicate to students. . . there is absolutely no evidence of random sexual assaults or of serial rape [in the reported incidents]."
Thus far, charges have not yet been filed in either of the two cases that allegedly occured on Aug. 23 and Sept. 19.
Most of the efforts will focus on information and a contribution to heightening the awareness level of students.
Some measures were implemented before both rape reports, including the Student Health and Wellness Advisory Committee (SHWAC) that was set up at the beginning of the school year. The committee is made up of approximately 15 students and works in conjunction with Campus Health and the Rec Center. Students who are interested in joining or supporting the committee are encouraged to do so and may speak with either Campus Health or Rec Center staff to become involved.
"We're trying to create a multi-pronged attack when we look at this problem," said Professor of Social Sciences Nancy Sauerman, "we're all [the faculty] trying to work with this student organization. . . because the thing is students need to have a stake in this, too." Sauerman added that one of her students said that "If you can curb drinking you can cut down on the number of these things (sexual assaults) quite dramatically I think."
Sauerman's involvement has come in the way of compiling information from the college's faculty members and distributing it to her students in class and over the web.
Sauerman envisions an active and effective organization to assist in not only the information and awareness process but also one with the capacity to council and help victims of sexual assault. She mentioned it could take a while because "the wheels in any large organization tend to move slowly." However, she said she does believe organizations like SHWAC and other groups are a significant step in the right direction.
The Kirkwood Village is now working with SHWAC and KCC to set up an informational seminar in an effort to raise awareness levels among both residents and students.
The seminar is planned to feature a speaker from the area who is knowledgeable on the subject. As of now, plans for the seminar including dates, times and speakers, are tentative.
According to sources close to the investigation, neither incident involved an assailant who was not an acquaintance of the alleged victim.
Recreation and Housing Services Director Josh Troutman commented that circumstances similar to the aforementioned ones are not uncommon because "in the vast majority of sexual assaults, the victim has some relationship or acquaintance with the assailant. . . While it in no way makes the incidents less serious, it does impact the awareness level and message we want to communicate to students. . . there is absolutely no evidence of random sexual assaults or of serial rape [in the reported incidents]."
Thus far, charges have not yet been filed in either of the two cases that allegedly occured on Aug. 23 and Sept. 19.