CO 2413- Lab 6 October 25 News 4

Sexual Assault: A Serious Epidemic

It is an epidemic that occurs across campuses everywhere

causing trauma to a students life.

Sexual assault is not something that should be taken

lightly. As of 2015, there have been 12 cases of forcible sex

offences on Mississippi State University campus. These statistics

have increased as more and more students are coming forward to

admit that they have been sexually assaulted.

Kim Kavalsky, coordinator of mental health outreach, shared

the reason why she believes more cases are coming forward.

Part of why I think more people have been reporting it is

because now there is a better system that you can have confidence

in and you can find someone who is not going to share the

information that you confide in them. That someone is going to

advocate on your behalf, Kavalsky said.

When coming forward, MSU offers the sexual assault victim

help in the form of the police department and the counselors. If

the victim chooses to report to the police department, then

someone like Nick Fasanella, a MSU officer, will make sure the

victim is first okay.

It is then suggested that he or she go to a hospital to get

a rape kit done. Afterwards, the case will get turned over to

investigations who will then further investigate it.

 If the victim chooses to press charges against the

perpetrator, then this can be done in two ways. The student can

press charges in criminal court or they can go through with a

judicial hearing on campus.

A judicial hearing is often done in a timelier manner,

whereas as in a criminal setting it could take a year to stand

before a grand jury or get evidence from a crime lab. During a

hearing, the student can have an advocate present or an attorney.

If the perpetrator is guilty, they may be suspended from the

university. If the perpetrator is still on campus, then the

victim can get a no-contact order. Andrea Jankowski, an

architecture major, described her experience being sexually

assaulted.

While studying abroad in Rome, I was sexually assaulted one

weekend when I went over into Germany with a group of friends.

The guy was slightly intoxicated and kept putting his hands all

over me and would not stop, Jankowski said, tugging her jacket

sleeve, I was thankfully able to get away, but as soon as I got

back to MSU, I issued a no-contact order against him. Anytime I

see him on campus, I turn the other way and walk away.

MSU helps students when dealing with sexual assault. If the

student needs a special accommodation, MSU will work with them

even if that means moving them out of the same class as their

perpetrator or even the same residence hall.