How to take your V-Day Events Further

As many of you know February means V-Day! And no, we’re not talking about Valentine’s Day. V-Day is an organization that seeks to raise awareness about violence against women and girls as well as raise money for local beneficiaries that are working to end violence. Many student groups put on “The Vagina Monologues” or host other film screenings to raise money for their local domestic violence and rape crisis centers.

We think it’s amazing to raise awareness about violence against women and sexual assault on campus, and we are here to offer ways to take your V-Day events further. When planning events, think of ways you can change policies on campus to make it safer for the students.

Here are some questions to think about:

• How safe is your campus? Is there sufficient lighting?
• Are there emergency blue light towers on campus? Blue lights towers have emergency buttons that will connect you to 911 dispatch.
• Is there a free 24-hour student escort service?
• Does your college provide counseling services for survivors? Does your school have at least one full time staff person that works exclusively on sexual violence and education?
• Is emergency contraception available for rape survivors in school health centers?

If there is something missing on campus, fight for change! Demand more preventative measures and better response systems on campus!

Next, do you know about your sexual assault policy on campus? Is it adequate? Check out the Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) website for “What Makes a Better Sexual Assault Policy”

Things to look for are: student input, accessibility, due process, fairness, clear language, oversight, prevention and education, crisis intervention, accessible and accurate reporting, amnesty, long term counseling, community involvement, and sexual assault response training. Some good examples of comprehensive sexual assault policies are: The College of Holy Cross, Spelman College, Lehigh University, and University of Michigan.

If your sexual assault policy doesn’t make the cut, make sure you take action to change it! Set up meetings with the administration to discuss how to make the SA policies on campus more comprehensive.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com/samjnewman

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month - Take Action on YOUR Campus!

The month of October is overflowing with activities that student groups across the country are taking action on. For many of us, October signifies the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness month and gearing up to put on events that really highlight the impact it has in our communities. The first step in fighting this vicious violence is being informed and getting educated on the issue. According to YWCA, "one in three women has been the victim of domestic violence." Not only is this statistic saddening but also learning that "twenty-five percent of college women have been raped" is an issue we cannot blindly stand by!

Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can happen to couples who are married, living together or who are dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. It is everyone’s problem and has consequences for more than just the people involved.


To take action for Domestic Violence Awareness month, many activists partner with local organizations and shelters that support survivors through fundraisers, host clothing and cell phone drives, hold workshops about consent and the Violence Against Women Act, chalk the campus with statistics about domestic violence, and volunteer endless hours. It can also be as simple as holding a screening that talks about the issue with a thought-provoking discussion afterward because as cliche as it sounds, knowledge really is power. Wherever you are, speak up against violence in your community by becoming a hotline volunteer, attend a local rally, or inform yourself and the rest of your school about your campus sexual assault policy.

Use this month to make a difference in your campus community because it takes just one person to send the message that violence is not acceptable. It’s time to take back our community and end this cycle of violence once and for all.

For more information about domestic violence and available resources, please visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline (www.thehotline.org) and YWCA.

photo courtesy of flickr.com/zappowbang


This blog post is part of the October eZine. To receive our monthly eZine, click here.

The Tragedy in Haiti Continues for Women and Girls Living in the Tent Cities

Here is a video clip I found about the issues facing women in Haiti in the aftermath of the tragic 7.0 earthquake that took place in January 2010. The progress in Haiti thus far has been so slow. People currently live in camps with scarce resources, no security and no lighting at night. It is now seven months after the catastrophe and Haitian women and girls are still vulnerable! Many women live as widows, they are surrounded by strangers and have young children to care for.

Walking to use the toilet at night can quickly turn into a dangerous situation. Rape and sexual assault are daily occurrences in Haiti's Tent Cities; both women and children as young as 2 are falling victim.

The women of Haiti are strong however and refuse to back down so this video clip gave me some hope. Those who have been raped are trying to form support groups to prevent others from having to experience the same horrors. Haitian women are taking matters into their own hands and trying to rebuild the foundation of their community which was hit so hard by the natural disaster. The women are banding together to make sure that the people who do fall victim get proper care - especially, sexually transmitted disease and HIV testing, as Haiti has the highest infection rates in the Western hemisphere.

Women are working together to protect themselves and their families. Security is necessary in these Tent Cities because the spike in sexual attacks could potentially cause even more social and health issues for the country. These people have suffered enough. Progress must be made at a quicker pace for the sake of those who are vulnerable!

Protections for domestic violence victims - a controversial issue?

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a subset of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, was signed into law in 1994. The passage of VAWA addressed the lack of significant legislation addressing domestic violence, making domestic violence a national priority. VAWA initially sought to provide legal protections for victims of abuse (for example, legally recognize orders of protection across state borders) as well as federal funding for domestic violence shelters and non-profit outreach organizations, a national domestic violence hotline, and youth education programs—to name a few.

Since then, it has expanded to include dating violence and stalking, legal assistance to victims, and the creation of new programs, including the National Resource Center of Workplace Responses. The results are obvious—since 1994, “non-fatal, violent victimizations committed by intimate partners [have] declined by 63%” (NNEDV).

Phyllis Schlafly, however, raises her voice in opposition to VAWA in "A Good Father's Day Gift"—her argument buried behind quips of “noisy feminists." Although she states that feminists stereotype women as victims and men as perpetrators, her article—her argument—hinges on generalizations about women.

For example, Schlafly argues that VAWA incentivizes false charges of domestic violence, or that all women, when armed with the opportunity (or in this case, legal backing), will freely accuse men of assault. She characterizes verbal abuse as “annoyance” or the use of a “naughty word”—a viewpoint that completely reinforces a rape culture in which small acts of violence and hostility are normalized. It reinforces a rape culture that downplays spousal abuse as “arguing” and marital rape as a sexual obligation inherent to a relationship.

Schlafly goes further to assert that shelters are centers of indoctrination that “promote divorce, marriage breakup, hatred of men and false accusations, while rejecting marriage counseling, reconciliation, drug-abuse treatment and evidence of mutual-partner abuse.” These centers, Schlafly argues, do not just exclude men, but actively encourage man-hating (one of the easiest cards to draw against feminism, and a false one at that).

According to NCADV (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence) , 85% of victims of domestic violence are women, and in regards to sexual assault, 91% of victims are female, while 9% are male (National Sexual Violence Resource Center). One of Schlafly’s arguemnts is that VAWA (a bill, to use Schlafly’s words, that “feminists lobbied [for]”) provides federal funds for shelters that turn away men.

In response to this I argue that feminists worked hard to pass VAWA and to secure funding for resources for domestic violence, shouldn’t men do the same? If VAWA does not address male sexual assault and domestic violence, then that should be some impetus to create new legislation.

This argument is very similar to other arguments I’ve heard before—do you open up an existing space to others or do you create your own space? I remember this argument was applied to the UCD feminist film festival, as a student critiqued the festival for largely excluding male-directed films. Another student responded--then why not create another film festival that includes both female and male-directed films? Why force a group to accommodate when it is their space?

I’m all for collaboration and inclusion, but I think this argument holds some weight. I don’t think that groups should have to bend over backwards to accommodate others. What do you think about this argument, as well as Schlafly’s other arguments?

Photo credit: Rainer Ebert on Flickr

Excited New FMF Intern and Blogger!

Hello fellow feminists! My name is Stephanie McClure and I’ll be working with the Feminist Majority Foundation as a Choices Campus Intern for the summer. I’m so excited to be blogging about feminist issues, activism ideas, and of course, engaging in awesome conversations with all of you this summer! Listed below are a few things about me:

• I just graduated from Oregon State University (OSU) with my B.A. in English.
• FMLA’s are awesome, and I was the President of the OSU Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance last year. Our FMLA did lots of Choices Campus Campaigning, as well as put on many events specific for our campus such as: Love Your Body Day; Inequality Bake Sale; Take Back the Night; OSU Feminist Film Festival; Smashing the Scales: Eating Disorder Awareness Project; Rise Up Speak Out: A Celebration of the Voice of Resistance Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (an open mic night).
• I worked at the OSU Women’s Center last year as well, and think that all universities need to have safe empowering permanent places on their campuses such as Women's Centers.
• The Vagina Monologues is a production that I deeply believe in and think is super important to bring to all communities, and this year I was one of the performers at OSU!
• Domestic violence and sexual assault are two issues that have affected many of my loved ones, so I’m extremely passionate about working towards ending all forms of violence against women and girls.
• I’m also an ecofeminist, and believe that there is an inherent connection between the way that women and nature are controlled and impacted by systems of oppression. (Grrrr...BP!)
  

The Feminist Majority Foundation is doing so many amazing things right now, and I’m so grateful to be here in LA with such an awesome team of feminists working together to help create a safe, equal world for all! Keep up with us on our blog, facebook page, and through twitter!

Perpetrator blaming? What a concept!

In honor of sexual assault awareness month, here is a satirical video (note: features robots) from Sociological Images that pokes fun at the way we tell women how not to be sexually assaulted. Instead, it outlines a way we can tell men how not to sexually assault:

Top Ten Strategies That Are Guaranteed To Stop Rape Every Time

1. When you see a woman walking alone after dark do not assault her.

2. As a general rule do not have sex with someone unless they are awake and agree to what is happening

3. Always use the buddy system. If you do not think you can resist the urge to sexually assault someone, ask a friend to accompany you when you go out in public or to parties.

4. When buying someone a drink, deliver the beverage to them without adding a roofie or any other drug.

5. If your date or anyone else falls asleep on your couch while walking a movie, remember to not assault them.

6. The best course of actions when entering a woman's house is to wait for her to invite you in through the front door. Try to resist the urge to crawl through an open window or an unlocked rear door.

7. Always carry a rape whistle and pepper spray. When you feel the urge to rape someone blow the whistle so that your buddy from strategy number 3 can call for help. If help does not arrive fast enough, spray the pepper spray directly into your eyes.

8. If you are hired by a woman to perform a service at her house, be sure to provide the requested service and then exit the house without raping her.

9. If you find yourself following a woman in her car, immediately turn your car in the direction of the nearest police or fire station station and notify authorities about your desire to rape. Also before you leave a parking lot, be sure to check your back seat for any one who you might be trying to abduct and sexually assault. Set any unwilling passengers free without assaulting them before driving away.

10. Watch for signs of miscommunication with friends. If somebody asks to spend the night at your house or asks them to walk you across campus at night it is probably an indication that they think you will not rape them. Clearly state your intentions so they know what to expect. Also be sure to send clear signals about your desires before going on a date. Let the other person know that you expect the evening to end with a sexual assault. If you do not clearly indicate your intentions, the other person may misinterpret it as a sign that you do not intend to sexually assault them.

Instead of constantly victim blaming, we need to realize that "the only person who can prevent a sexual assault is the person who is going to commit it." We tell people not murder rather than not to get murdered. Why can't we use this same principal when it comes to rape?

While, these rules are intended as jokes, at the same time they should be taken seriously. Although you assume these principles to be common sense, obviously they are not as widely understood taking into account the amount of sexual assault that happens. We need to encourage potential rapists to stop and think about these principles before they act.

photos courtesy of padraicyclops via Flickr and amazon.com.

Attention NYC Feminists: CUNY Forum on Monday

Passing this message along on behalf of Jerin Alam, a Hunter College alumna and fierce feminist activist. Come hear Jerin and other activists discuss improving the sexual assault policy at your school next weekend at the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference! Contact Jerin with any questions: jerin.alam AT gmail DOT com.

Help Create CUNY-wide sexual-assault policy for half-a-million people Date: Monday, March 15, 2010 Time: 4:30pm - 6:00pm Location: The College of Staten Island, Center for the Arts – Recital Hall Street: 2800 Victory Boulevard City/Town: Staten Island, NY
Did you know that City University of NY (CUNY) does not have a university-wide sexual assault policy for it's half-a-million students? YOU CAN HELP CHANGE THAT BY COMING TO THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC FORUM OR CONTACTING US ABOUT HOW ELSE TO HELP.

CUNY Central is ready to present a proposed policy to the Board of Trustees for approval in April. However, a large group of us, including elected officials* feel that the policy lacks two vital components - –

1. clearer language about mandatory education and
2. anonymous reporting. **


CUNY Board of Trustees public hearing on Monday, May 15, 4:30pm-6pm. If you wish to speak during the Staten Island borough hearing, please call the Office of the Secretary of the Board at (212) 794-5450 by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2010. However, you can just attend without having to call ahead.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The City University of New York

Annual Staten Island
Borough Hearing
The College of Staten Island
2800 Victory Boulevard
Staten Island, NY 10314
Center for the Arts – Recital Hall
The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York welcomes testimony and statements from concerned individuals about University issues.

BACKGROUND INFO:

Since 2008, I have been 1 of 5 students on a CUNY-wide taskforce of 12 to create this policy, which includes CUNY’s General Counsel staff, the Council of Presidents, Student Development personnel, faculty and staff researchers, and Public Safety.

Clear language about mandatory education is the most important component of the policy; without it, the implementation will be just as ineffective as the CUNY-wide sexual-harassment policy, which is one of the strongest on paper. Currently, the harassment education involves a 10-minute online quiz a student takes once during freshman orientation (during their entire college education). The student can just go back and change the answers if she/he marks an incorrect response. At a recent CUNY college orientation about sexual harassment, the education involved a true/false quiz, and the faculty member giving the orientation used inappropriate, victim-blaming language. Obviously, the lack of concrete language in the CUNY-wide harassment policy resulted in colleges not enforcing the mandatory education component.

I appreciate the legal concerns involved with making provision for anonymous reporting, but the best sexual-assault policies, in different types of institutions across the country, offer anonymous reporting to alleged victims. For instance, the military has been successfully using anonymous reporting to mitigate the potential fear and shame attendant upon reporting sexual assaults. As you may already know, most college campuses have historically under-reported incidents of sexual assault. Recent estimates suggest that 90% of sexual assault go unreported to law enforcement officials, a situation that further ostracizes victims.

*elected officials such as Congresswoman Maloney, NYS State Senator Liz Krueger, and Assemblymember and chair to the Higher Ed Committee Deborah Glickstein, and organizations like NOW, Feminist Majority, etc.

**These are the two key issues we have been adamant about from the beginning. In fact, I was one of two students who started this whole process in 2008 by approaching CUNY Central, and my interest began in wanting to have mandatory prevention education on campus.

We are happy to meet with ANYONE appropriate to discuss why these issues are so important and to answer any questions/concerns.

A Feminist Valentine

Guest post by Carmen Rios, former FMF intern and student at American University.

My Valentine's Day experience is pretty similar year-to-year. I've always struggled not to be overly cynical of the entire day; being a feminist has often made accepting cultural messages about sexuality and relationships difficult. Since most of my activism has been directed at changing that landscape, I am glad to be taking steps toward doing that this Valentine's Day with THE LINE.

THE LINE Campaign is an interactive, media-based campaign to end rape and sexual assault. The purpose of the campaign is to start dialogue through a documentary film of the same name and then continue discussion on a group blog, asking for submissions from activists and survivors everywhere answering the question, “where is your line?” We're hoping to use that model to inspire people everywhere to set and respect boundaries, be open and communicate with their partners, and ask for consent in all kinds of sexual situations.

So this Valentine's Day, we took the holiday's old model and we turned it on its head, producing a short video that expresses what we're really hoping to get from our partners this year: dialogue and respect, and to be asked. The fundamental vision of THE LINE Campaign is to create a culture where people are comfortable talking about their own sexualities, whether they're single, hooking up, dating, or married. The longer we delay talking about sex, relationships, and even sexual violence, we continue to repress the sexualities of all people everywhere.

This year, I want people to think about the conversations they could be having over chocolates and flowers.

"Ask Me" from Nancy Schwartzman on Vimeo.

The good, the bad, and the ugly: campus SA policies

Most of us are all too familiar with the hot mess that is college sexual assault policies. Unfortunately, colleges like to pretend rape and sexual assault don't happen on their campuses. If they do happen, it is supposedly when strangers in the bushes jump out and break into your unlocked dorm, or assault you as you are jogging and are wearing an iPod and headphones.

Thanks. Not realistic, and not appreciated. Colleges appear to routinely ignore:

a) USDOJ's report The Sexual Victimization of College Women, which is extremely reader-friendly and should probably be required reading for all campus feminists, and

b) the Clery Act [scroll halfway down the page linked]. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act requires all colleges and universities to collect and publish campus crime statistics annually. If you believe some of the reports coming from campuses, only a couple students get assaulted each year. Tip: feminist parents can use this US Dept of Ed website to compare college crime statistics, for what it's worth.

Colleges effectively discourage crime reporting, forcing survivors to wade through layers of bureaucracy, go across town for a rape kit, and recount their experience to multiple offices. Awesome. So campuses then shrug and pretend the low numbers of reported crime reflect reality. This underscores the importance of having an assault policy that supports survivors with full-time, staff advocates on campus, and encourages reporting and prosecution of students found guilty of violent crimes.

USDOJ disperses grants to colleges fighting gender-based violence. If your college isn't yet a recipient, definitely apply ASAP. Letters of intent to apply for this year's fall grant are due WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 so work with campus staff and administrators and submit a letter!

Below are some choice examples of strong and pitiful SA policies.

The Good

Lehigh University in Pennsylvania has a great online, anonymous, sexual violence reporting form. Kudos to the Women's Center for providing this service. Every campus should have one. If yours doesn't, collaborate with your Women's Center and campus administration to create one immediately.

The Bad

CUNY Hunter College in New York has a sexual assault policy in place that's ok. The fab Hunter Women's Coalition is working with the City University of New York administrators to install a CUNY-wide sexual assault policy that applies to all of the campuses, as currently some campuses have a policy and others have none at all.

Consider one page on the Hunter Public Safety website titled "Steps to follow if you become a victim of rape." You know, should a rape suddenly materialize out of thin air. Colleges everywhere like to strategically employ the passive voice in their SA materials, to pretend like there is no perpetrator, much less a perp who is a fellow student there. Try instead, "Steps to follow if somebody rapes you."

The Ugly

Valdosta State University in Georgia has really wonderful feminists, and seriously slut-shaming "sexual assault prevention" tips on the VSU Public Safety site. I was hoping it was a cruel joke by some misogynist student. But no, some overpaid misogynist at Valdosta took the time to post 13 sage tips just asking to be excoriated by the feminist community (and general public, for that matter). If I ever visit, I'll be sure not to pack my mini skirt, my uncovered drinks, my dancing shoes, and my Come Hither t-shirt.

Colleges figure they can wait out any indignant students impertinent to try to change the SA policy, so be sure to be in it for the long haul. Good luck, and let us know if we can support you in any way.

Belated, But Necessary Post

College newspapers: a forum for students to venture into new endeavors and let their creativity shine, while feeling like Hollywood A list celebs among their peers (unlike FMF bloggers who obviously ARE stars...)

For Fairfield University's "The Mirror" and co-writer of the "He said/She said" column Chris Surette, it's also a means to create "satirical pieces" with demeaning undertones towards women.

His October column entitled "The Walk of Shame," where he elaborates on the fame brought on by one-night-stands, is the one gaining the most attention, due to, well, you'll see. Let me share a couple of the "gems"...

So after flirting with a young swan at a party, you invite her back to your place and she accepts. The road to pleasure town begins and as Johnny Drama would say, VICTORY! Congrats boys, not only did you get laid, but you have a great story for the rest of your life.

Not only is it a story for you and your boys, but others will soon realize what happened when they see your victim walking back to the dorms in her dress from last night, with a disgraceful look on her face as if she was robbed of her dignity. But girls, even though many may consider you a slut after witnessing your glorious Walk of Shame, just realize that you have given this lucky guy a story he can share with others at the Grape for the rest of the year. We ought to thank you for that. And hopefully you got something out of this to … actually, we don’t really care.

And it's not over. He also adds:
Trust me, you don’t want that hood rat giving you a venereal disease... So don’t be a fool and wrap your tool. Now if you follow these tips, the next time you do work, you’ll have a tale to tell your buds for years. Remember to be ruthless and have no shame. We are relying on each other for an entertaining story that is both hilarious and humiliating. Just remember one thing; her walk of shame is an induction into your hall of fame.

While I agree with his promotion of safe sex, using words like "hood rat," "victim" and "robbed of her dignity" makes my skin crawl. Lucky for my faith in humanity, I was not alone. Comments have flooded in from all over:

In an apology letter, Surette explains:
In the past week, I have overheard many people feeling that my article was promoting rape and violence against women... I understand that a few of the words I used could have been easily used to create this idea.
Also, I would like to make clear that even though my language has been derogatory against women, I truly do not feel this way about them. For those of you who do not know, last semester I was the only guy in a feminism literature class called “The Women Question.” I do respect the ideas of feminism and women’s rights, even though it may not be perceived in my writing.

My goal is to write about the ideas that your typical 18-22 year old college male thinks and speaks with putting a humorous twist on it. These articles are not meant to be taken literally. In saying this, I do understand that I crossed the line this past week and apologize for this.

So, moral of the story is that as long as you've studied the subject; horrible, degrading and triggering jokes are totally acceptable in a public forum without any responsibility for your actions because it "wasn't meant to be taken seriously"(While the last sentence is heavily frosted in sarcasm, I am now kicking myself for not taking Anthropology of Locker Room Rituals 101!)

But, I'm gonna take all the pressure off of this one lone writer by looking at the bigger picture, as the problem isn't just this particular article, but the fact that Surette's experiences had lead him to believe these words were "typical" of the 18-22 age bracket (although note: I know many guys who don't talk like this.)

By letting this language go unnoticed, we allow this attitude to leak into our culture, thoughts and actions; leading some criminals to not see or water down actions that should be considered the violent acts that they are. For more information, check out UMASS Boston's Professor Lisak's campus survey and interviews talking to perpetrators and revealing the extent that rape culture is normalized on campuses (warning: interviews are graphic and may be triggering to survivors.)

For more information on men working with their peers to fight back, look into the wonderful work of groups like Men Can Stop Rape or Men Stopping Rape, Inc. A big thanks to all male activists!

photo credit: noodlepie on flickr.com

Important Event for NYC Feminists

Sexual Assault Policy Public Forum
Thu, Oct 22: Help CUNY create sexual-assault policy for all 480,000 students

On October 22, CUNY students will have the opportunity to have their voices heard and ask questions to the CUNY Sexual Assault Policy Taskforce regarding the history, progress, and implementation of CUNY’s first ever prevention-based sexual assault policy.

This public forum, which is open to all CUNY students, is sponsored by Students for a Greater CUNY (SGC) and cosponsored by Queens College Democratic Student Alliance. The purpose of CUNY’s sexual assault policy is to ensure students have recourse on CUNY campuses for services and needs when faced with sexual assault. The aim of CUNY’s sexual assault policy is to be student-centered and prevention-based while being inclusive of the diverse population of students at CUNY.

Date: October 22, 2009
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Queens College, Rosenthal Library 230
6530 Kissena Blvd
Flushing, NY 11367-1575
(718) 997-3700

Directions: http://www.qc.cuny.edu/welcome/directions/Pages/default.aspx

SUBWAYS

• Via Flushing: Take the Long Island Railroad or the #7 subway to Main Street, Flushing. From Main Street, take the Q25, Q25-34, Q34 or Q17 bus.
• Via Forest Hills: Take the E, F, G, or R subway to the 71st and Continental Avenue in Forest Hills. Take the exit marked "North side 70 Ave and 108 St." At the corner, take the Q64 bus to Kissena Boulevard and Jewel Avenue. Stops one block south of campus.
• Via Jamaica: Take the F subway to Parsons Boulevard or the LIRR to the Jamaica Station. From Jamaica Avenue and 160th Street or Hillside Avenue and Parsons Boulevard, take the Q25, Q25-34, or Q34 bus. From Hillside Avenue and either 169th or 179th Street, take the Q17 bus to the LIE and Kissena Boulevard.
• Via Kew Gardens: Take the E or F subway to Union Turnpike. Take Q74 Vleigh Place shuttle to main gate.
  

Visiting the Library

To enhance campus security, the following policy has been put in place:

• All QC students, faculty, and staff must show their current Queens College ID.
• All other patrons must present a photo ID (CUNY or other student ID, driver's license, etc.).
  

Students for a Greater CUNY is dedicated to improving the quality of CUNY student academic experiences through projects that foster greater partnerships between students and administration at CUNY. SGC also provides a central space for CUNY students to receive resources to enhance their personal, academic and professional development.

Image via Tony the Misfit

Rape: The Facts

Cross-posted from the Hunter Women's Right Coalition blog. By HWRC President Sabrina Caprioli aka HappyFeminist, borrowing heavily from RAINN.

1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed rape; 2.8% attempted rape).1

17.7 million American women have been victims of attempted or completed rape.1

9 of every 10 rape victims were female in 2003.2

While about 80% of all victims are white, minorities are somewhat more likely to be attacked.

Lifetime rate of rape /attempted rape for women by race1
* All women: 17.6%
* White women: 17.7%
* Black women: 18.8%
* Asian Pacific Islander women: 6.8%
* American Indian/Alaskan women: 34.1%
* Mixed race women: 24.4%

Men
About 3% of American men — or 1 in 33 — have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.1
* In 2003, 1 in every ten rape victims were male.2
* 2.78 million men in the U.S. have been victims of sexual assault or rape.1

Children
15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12.3
* 29% are age 12-17.
* 44% are under age 18.3
* 80% are under age 30.3
* 12-34 are the highest risk years.
* Girls ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.
7% of girls in grades 5-8 and 12% of girls in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.4
* 3% of boys grades 5-8 and 5% of boys in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.

In 1995, local child protection service agencies identified 126,000 children who were victims of either substantiated or indicated sexual abuse.5

* Of these, 75% were girls.
* Nearly 30% of child victims were between the age of 4 and 7.

93% of juvenile sexual assault victims know their attacker.6

* 34.2% of attackers were family members.
* 58.7% were acquaintances.
* Only 7% of the perpetrators were strangers to the victim.

Effects of Rape
Victims of sexual assault are:7
3 times more likely to suffer from depression.
6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
13 times more likely to abuse alcohol.
26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
4 times more likely to contemplate suicide.

Pregnancies Resulting from Rape
In 2004-2005, 64,080 women were raped.8 According to medical reports, the incidence of pregnancy for one-time unprotected sexual intercourse is 5%. By applying the pregnancy rate to 64,080 women, RAINN estimates that there were 3,204 pregnancies as a result of rape during that period.

This calculation does not account for the following factors which could lower the actual number of pregnancies:

* Rape, as defined by the NCVS, is forced sexual intercourse. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, oral, or anal penetration by offender(s). This category includes incidents where the penetration is from a foreign object such as a bottle. Certain types of rape under this definition cannot cause pregnancy.
* Some victims of rape may be utilizing birth control methods, such as the pill, which will prevent pregnancy.
* Some rapists may wear condoms in an effort to avoid DNA detection.
* Vicims of rape may not be able to become pregnant for medical or age-related reasons.

This calculation does not account for the following factors which could raise the actual number of pregnancies:

* Medical estimates of a 5% pregnancy rate are for one-time, unprotected sexual intercourse. Some victimizations may include multiple incidents of intercourse.
* Because of methodology, NCVS does not measure the victimization of Americans age 12 or younger. Rapes of these young people could results in pregnancies not accounted for in RAINN's estimates.

References
1. National Institute of Justice & Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women Survey. 1998.
2. U.S. Department of Justice. 2003 National Crime Victimization Survey. 2003.
3. U.S. Department of Justice. 2004 National Crime Victimization Survey. 2004.
4. 1998 Commonwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls. 1998.
5. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. 1995 Child Maltreatment Survey. 1995.
6. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2000 Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement. 2000.
7. World Health Organization. 2002.
8. U.S. Department of Justice. 2005 National Crime Victimization Survey. 2005.

http://www.rainn.org/get-information/statistics/sexual-assault-victims


Sexual assault and relationship violence is more common than we like to think. Studies show that 1 in 4 women and 3% of men will be survivors of sexual assault, and one in four women will experience relationship violence, in their lifetimes. (From the Women's Center at Duke University) http://wc.studentaffairs.duke.edu/sass/survivors.html


24% (1 in 4) of Colorado women and 6% (1 in 17) Colorado men have experienced a completed or attempted sexual assault in their lifetime. This equates to over 11,000 women and men each year experiencing a sexual assault in Colorado. (Sexual Assault in Colorado: Results of a 1998 Statewide Survey. 1998. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault) http://www.ccasa.org/statistics.cfm

Image via Captain Midnight

DNA Evidence Leads to Sexual Assault Arrest in LA County

The LA Times reports that a Long Beach, CA man, arrested on domestic violence charges, is suspected of sexually assaulting an 83 year-old woman earlier this year. The man underwent a DNA test upon his recent arrest, and his DNA matches that which was collected from the sexual assault case.

Los Angeles County currently has a backlog of untested rape evidence collection kits, which contain DNA samples from sexual assault cases, totaling around 12,000 kits! About half of the cases these kits are tied to have passed the statute of limitations.

By allowing rape kits to go untested, LA County has been depriving sexual assault victims of the justice they deserve, while allowing dangerous criminals to run free. In fact, in Los Angeles County, sexual assault has the lowest arrest rate of any violent crime - only about 25% of cases ever end in arrest.

When New York City began testing their recent backlog of nearly 17,000 rape kits, the arrest rate skyrocketed to 80%, with a very small dismissal and acquittal rate. Through examination of the DNA evidence contained in the kits, the city was able to not only find and convict serial rapists, but serial date rapists, as well.

This is extremely notable because date or acquaintance rape is often considered a less serious crime by authorities, and some recent investigation in Santa Barbara, CA shockingly revealed that SBPD will immediately dismiss acquaintance rape cases that involve alcohol. With a prominent university and community college located in Santa Barbara this unjustice is absolutely inexcusable.

Human Rights Watch has been investigating the LA County rape kit backlog and suspects the backlog is not isolated to Los Angeles, but is most likely a national crisis.

What can you do? Start investigating! Ask your local police department if they have untested rape kits. Find out what their procedure for testing rape kits is. If you find disturbing information, contact your FMF Campus Organizer.