SexualAssaultsatPennState:WehavetodoMorefor

theVictims

TwentytwoyearoldEmilyLorenzoknowsherstoryofbeingsexuallyassaultedisa
difficultonetorecountorbelieve,yetsheisnotdeterredbythefact.Awarethatherlisteners
maynotknowwhattomakeofit,shestillbelievestheyneedtohearherwords.Indeed,shewill
notstopsharingherstoryuntilcollegeadministrationadoptsacoherentpolicytorespond
adequatelytoeachvictimofasexualassaultoncampus.PennStatehasrecentlyadoptedpolicies
tobothpreventandraiseawarenesstosexualassaultsoncampus.However,thispaperidentifies
aneedforgreateruniversitysupportduringtherecoveryandhealingprocessofthesevictims.
Thisfeasiblepolicyproposesutilizingvolunteerstudentswhohavesuccessfullyfoundclosure
andsurvivedbeingsexuallyabusedtoassistinpeercounselingvictimsaswellastheofficeof
StudentAffairs,morespecificallytheTitle9team,trainingandassigningpeercounselorsto
studentsasanoncampusresourceduringtheStudentAffairsintakeprocess.

Thesadfactisthatverylittlehaschangedwhenitcomestosexualassaultsoncollege
campuses.Peoplestillblamethevictims,andthevictimscontinuetoblamethemselves.This
viciouscyclehasledtoalackofsupportforvictimsofsexualassaultduringtherecoverystage.
So,whiletherearemoregroupsoncollegecampusestodaythanatanyothertimeinthepast
decadesthataredevotedtoassistingvictimsofsexualassault,theybringsomemeasureofrelief
onlytoasmallfractionofthosewhoactuallyundergothistraumaticexperience.Idontthink
generalattitudesaboutsexualassaulthavechangedinthe30yearsIvebeenlitigatingit,said

RebeccaRoe,aSeattlebasedattorneywhospecializesinsexualassaultcases.Itsvery,very
depressing.
Thispastdecadehasseenarisingfearthatcollegecampusesarenotivorytowersbut
insteadhotspotsforcriminalsexualactivitypromptinggreaterattentiontothesexual
victimizationofcollegewomen.Theincorporationoftermssuchasdaterapeanddomestic
violenceintothepubliclexicon,signifiesanincreasing,yetstillinsufficient,noticegivento
femalevictimsofsexualassaultoncollegecampuses.AccordingtoaU.SStateDepartment
fundedresearchreporttitled,
SexualVictimizationofCollegeWomen
,oneinfivewomenwill
experiencesexualassaultwithintheirfouryearcollegeexperience1.Sadly,EmilyLorenzowas
oneofthosefive.
EmilyLorenzo,fromasmalltowninOregonandmemberofherUniversityofCalifornia
athleticclubwasgoingawayforatrainingweekendearlyinherfirstsemesterofcollege.Heres
whatsheremembers:anunrelentingupperclassmanwhosesexualadvancesshehadturneddown
earlierthatnight,finallysucceededtoconvinceothermembersofherclubwhopressuredher
intodrinkingmorealcoholandtakingoffherclothes.Shedoesntrememberwhathappened
next.Allsheknowsisthatthenextmorningshewokeupinthebednexttoaman,she
previouslyrejected.Shewasnaked,exceptforherbra,withanachingvagina.Herterrifying
suspicionwasconfirmedtheverynextdaywhenhersexualassaultwasturnedintoadrinking
game.Shesaid,IknewwhenIwokeup,butIknewforsurewhensomebodysaidIhadtotake
ashotbecauseIhadsex2.Ittookfourmonthstotellherparentswhathappened.Ittookanother

Fisher,BonnieS.,FrancisT.Cullen,andMichaelG.Turner."TheSexualVictimizationofCollegeWomen."

CarolSmith,Carol."SexualAssaultonCollegeCampuses:ACultureofIndifference."

fourmonthsforhertobefullyreconciledtothefactthatshetoohadbecomeastatisticinthe
battleagainstsexualassault.
Emilyisntaloneinthisbattle.LikemostcollegevictimsofsexualassaultatPennState,
Emilywastooafraidtocomeforward.Asaresult,shewaddedthroughthepostsexualassault
processalone,whichshouldneverbethecase.JessicaMindlinisnationaldirectorfortraining
andtechnicalassistanceattheVictimRightsLawCenter,anonprofitorganizationdedicatedto
transformingthenation'slegalresponsetosexualassault.Whatweseehappeningatthe
universityleveliskindofamicrocosmofwhatweencounterinthelargersociety,whichisthat
itmakeseverybodyuncomfortabletotalkaboutnonconsensualsexualcontact,aboutsexual
assault,shesaid.Sowhatwefindisthattheywouldrathercharacterizeitasa
misunderstanding.Thishasledtomanyvictimsnotgettingtheproperassistancetheyneed
fromtheircollegesduringtherecoveryprocess.
Closertohome,asimilarincidenthappenedatPennState.Forthesakeofprivacy,let's
refertothevictimasLisa.Lisa,whileengaginginconsensualcontactwithEdner,pausedand
toldhimshedidntwantanymorephysicalintimacy3.Lisalostconsciousness,wokeupinthe
middleofthenightandfelthimhavingsexwithher,onlytoloseconsciousnessagain.Lisawoke
upthenextmorningwithherunderwearonthefloorandwearingapairofhisshorts,shehad
beenraped.Themostdisturbingthingabouttheseincidentsinthatthosestudents,the
perpetrators,movedonwiththeirlives.Butalongwhile,EmilyandLisasownlivesstoodstill.
ForeveryEmily,thereisaLisaandsoonandsoforth.Ithinkoneofthethingsweconsistently

McCarthy,Erin."PennStateStudentChargedwithRape,SexualAssault."
DailyCollegian
.

findisthatnomatterhowgooditlooksonpaper,alltoooftenitsatbestanunproductive
processandatworstadevastatingprocessforvictims,saidMindlinoftheVictimRights
Center.Effectiveconductproceedingscanhaveaveryrealimpactnotonlyonthehealing
process,butonavictimsabilitytoachievelifetimepersonalandfinancialgoals.Whenvictims
dropoutofschoolanddontachievethelevelofeducationthattheywouldhavebecauseof
sexualassault,ithasaveryrealimpactontheirlife,Mindlinadded.
Morecollegesacrossthenation,PennStateincluded,arebeginningtotackletheissueof
sexualassaultinanumberofways,includingsurveyingstudentstogetabetterhandleon
numbers,andincreasingtheiremphasisonprevention.Inparticular,PennStatebegunaddressing
theunderlyingculturalissuesthroughtrainingandbystanderinvolvementcampaigns.
However,thereisnotenoughsupportfortheactualvictimsofsexualassaultintheaftermathof
theassault.Therecoveryprocessisonethatisveryisolatingandoftenthevictims,withouta
strongsupportsystem,canfindthemselvesinadownwardspiral.AccordingtoTheWhiteHouse
CouncilonWomenandGirls,victimsofsexualassaultorrapeareathigherriskformental
healthissuessuchasdepression,PTSD,eatingdisorders,orsuicidalideations4.Evenafter
physicalwoundsheal,survivorssuffertheriskofchronicemotionaldistress.TheMentalImpact
ofRape,areportbytheMedicalUniversityofSouthCarolina,comparedrapesurvivorswith
victimsofothersocietalattacks.Theresultsshowedthatshowedthatrapesurvivorsare6.2
timesmorelikelytodevelopPTSD,3timesmorelikelytohaveamajordepressiveepisode,26
timesmorelikelytoabusedrugs,and13timesmorelikelytoabusealcohol5 .

"TOSOCIALWORKERS:ACALLTOACTION."
TheCompass
25.4(1944):2528

Kilpatrick,DeanG."MentalHealthImpactofRape."

StephanieS.,whodidntwanttouseherlastname,saidshewasassaultedasafreshman
byanathleteattheUniversityofWashington.Shesaidsheinitiallydidntreporttheassault
becauseshewasunsureandinshock.Stephanieeventuallybecametrainedasapeercounselor
forothercollegerapevictims.Quiteoften,thesestudentsdontcomeforwardbecausetheyknow
itwillinviteanattackontheirownreputations,orcredibility.Stephaniesaidshewasurgedto
notmakeasceneandavoidbehaviorthatwouldputabadlightonthefootballteamor
athleticdepartment.Thecombinationofthefearthatreportingtheirsexualassaulttosomeone
makesitrealandseriousplustheselfblameandguiltvictimsfeeloftenleadthemnotto
comeforward,andtherebynothealing.Itsveryrarethatsomeoneinasituationlikemine
wouldevenknowthataresourceexisted,saidStephanie,whodidntknowwheretoturnfor
manymonthsandnowusesherexperiencetocounselotherwomen.
Theexperiencesandknowledgeofsexualassaultsurvivorsarevitalandverybeneficial
tovictimsintheirrecoveryprocess.Thisplatformforpeercounselingdiscourse,which
Stephaniementioned,betweenvictimsandsurvivorsshouldbemadeavailableatPennStateto
betteraideintherecoveryandhealingprocessofsexualassaultvictims.
TheimplementationoftheseprogramswillrequirethesupportofnotonlyPennStates
StudentAffairs,title9team,butmustbeincoordinationwiththeCenterforWomenStudents
andtheCounselingandPsychologicalServices(CAPS)office.Theprogramwillbecompletely
volunteer.SurvivorpeercounselorsshallbevettedbytheTitle9teamandhavetomeetwitha
CAPSmemberofthePurpleTeamtoassesstheirmentalstateanddeemthemfittocounsel
othersexualassaultvictims.Thenonsurvivorpeerambassadors,whothisprogramrecommends
implementingforthepurposeofhavingapeerpresentduringstudentinterviewsmustbetrained
5

byamemberoftheStudentAffairsteamastohowtoprobablycommunicatewithavictimof
sexualassault.ThisstudentshouldmeetregularlywithaTitle9advisordiscussingdetails
concerningtheirassignedvictimsprogress.Therefore,theymusthaveanonconfidentialstatus
withthevictims.Asthediscourseexchangedbetweenthevictimandthepeerambassadoris
privilegedtoonlythestudentbutinformationthatcouldberelayedtothewholeteaminaneffort
tobetterassistthevictimsrecoveryandhealing.
AtPennState,inameetingdiscussingtheimplementationofonesuchapeercounseling
survivorgroup,ErinFarley,ProgramingCoordinatorattheCenterforWomensStudentsand
AnnaJantz,GraduateAssistantattheCenterforWomensStudentssharedtheirthoughtsand
ideasabouttheprogram.Erinsaid,althoughthereisalreadyalegaladvocacyandstudent
conductprocessthatisinplacetodealwithstudentsofsexualassault,thereisabenefittosucha
programthatIthinkisinterestingandunique.Annaaddedthat,itisimportantforsurvivorsto
know,asearlyaspossibleintheprocess,thattherearenotalone,andhavingapeertotalkto
wouldbeawaytobreakdownthatisolationandallowthevictimstobuildaconfidantinthose
whocanrelate.BothErinandAnnaagreedthatbeforesuchaprogramcanbeimplemented
thereneedstobeaclearagendaestablisheddifferentiatingthepurposeofthesepeergroups.
Therewouldbeahurdletoovercomebetweenthehealingprocessversusvictimizationsaid
Anna,ButIagreethatthereisahugebenefitinvictimstalkingtononauthoritativefigures
abouttheseevents,specificallyonesthathavesurvivedandcanofferguidance
InafollowupmeetingdiscussingthelogisticsofthispolicywithPennStatesTitle9
coordinator,PaulApicella,therewerestepstakentoexpandthescopeoftheproposedplanin
waysthatwouldallowPennStatesofficeofStudentAffairsandApicellasTitle9teamtostill
6

bepartoftheprocess.Apicellaacknowledgedtheuniquenessofsuchaprograminhisstatement,
AtPennState,rightnow,wedohaveasurvivorsgrouponcampusbutitislimited,thereis
nopeerpeerprogramestablishedliketheoneproposed.Whenasked,Doyouthinkapeerpeer
survivorsgroupsuchastheoneproposedisneededandwillprovidegreatersupportforsexual
assaultvictimsoncampus?Apicellarespondedthat,Idothinkitisimportantforvictimsto
knowthatcomingintoourofficeisasafespaceandnotascaryplace.TalkingtoaCounseling
andPsychologicalServicesmember,auniversityadministrator,ortheCenterforWomen
Studentsteammakesitalittleintimidatingandrequirespeopletobewillingtogetoverthe
talktoanadulthump,whichisdifficultforsomevictims,saidApicella.
Apicellareflectedonthedifficultiesfacedbyvictimsofsexualassault,saying:Tobea
victimofsexualassaultisaveryconfusingplacetobe.Ontheonehandsomethinghashappened
toyouthatisveryserioushasapsychological,emotional,physical....allthesefacetsofyourlife
havebeenaffected.Ontopofthatitisveryisolatingandscarsyouwiththisbrandofavictimof
sexualassaultIamaRAPEVICTIM.Whilediscussingthelegitimacyofsuchaprogram,
Apicellasaidthatinhisexperiencemostvictimsareconflictedbetweentheirdesiretocome
forwardandtheconsequencesoftheiractionsontheirreputation.Thisishowhesummarizedthe
ambivalencefeltbymanyvictims:...yesIwasaffectedbythis,butIknowthatifItoldmy
friendstheywillmakeahugedealoutofthis,itwillbeawkward,peoplewillstartdotingonme
andmakemanyofmyrelationshipsweird.Mostvictimswantsomebodytovalidatetheir
feelingsandgivethemhelp,butontheotherhandtheywanttomoveonwiththeirlivesandnot
makethistheirentirelives.Itisasensitiveissueandvictimsofsexualassaultsoncollege
campuseshaveaveryharddecisiontomakeshouldIcomeforwardornot?Knowingthatthey

arenotaloneandthattheywillhavesomeonewhounderstandswhattheyhavebeenthroughand
iswillingtohelpwalkthemthroughthehealingprocessmaybetheencouragementthatvictims
needinordertocomeforward.Apicellaconcludedwithacknowledginghowsuccessfullysucha
programcouldbenowyouhavemethinking,mhm,howcanwemakethishappen.Apicella
agreedthatPennStatesettingupapeerambassadorsprogramwherebyvictimsofsexualassault
oncampusareassignedtopeercounselorswithpriorexperiencehandlingsuchmatterswho
throughouttheirrecoverywouldtalktovictimsinaconfidentialsettinginanefforttobring
closuresoundsveryinteresting,Icanseeit,hesaid.
TheevidencefromsexualassaultcasesoncampusesacrossAmericaandfeedbackfrom
expertsonsexualassaultvalidatestheneedformoreuniversitysponsoredsupportforvictims
duringtheirrecoveryandhealingprocess.Implementingthesecompletelyvolunteer
peercounselingprogramatPennStateisfeasibleandwillhelptoeliminatetheisolationand
selfblamethatmostvictimsendureduringthisprocess.Thiswillhelptoassurevictimsthattheir
collegeiswillingtoofferamyriadofsupportsystemstoaidintheirrecoveryprocess.
References
1.

InterviewsofVictimsEmilyLorenzenandStephanieS:
CarolSmith,Carol."SexualAssaultonCollegeCampuses:ACultureofIndifference."
InvestigateWest
.Ed.LeeVanDoo.InvestigateWest,25Feb.2010.Web.28Mar.2016.
<http://invw.org/sexualassault/>

2.

Fisher,BonnieS.,FrancisT.Cullen,andMichaelG.Turner."TheSexualVictimizationof
CollegeWomen."
PsycEXTRADataset
(n.d.):Web.28Mar.2016

3.

"TOSOCIALWORKERS:ACALLTOACTION."
TheCompass
25.4(1944):2528.The
WhiteHouseCouncilonWomenandGirls,Jan.2014.Web.28Mar.2016.
<https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/sexual_assault_report_12114.pdf>.

4.

Kilpatrick,DeanG."MentalHealthImpactofRape."MentalHealthImpactofRape.National
ViolenceAgainstWomenPreventionResearchCenter,2000.Web.28Mar.2016.
<
https://www.musc.edu/vawprevention/research/mentalimpact.shtml
>

5.

Lisasstory:McCarthy,Erin."PennStateStudentChargedwithRape,Sexual
Assault."
DailyCollegian
.DailyCollegian,24Nov.2014.Web.28Mar.2016.
<http://www.collegian.psu.edu/news/crime_courts/article_b2010c48741b11e4a8ec6f1b41
d51c76.html>.