Incoming freshmen may have an additional program on their plate next year before they even step on campus.
An Ohio University task force on sexual assault is seeking a federal grant for an advocacy program that would force the university to require a more comprehensive mandatory education program for incoming students.
Sexual assault is a major problem on campus
said Susanne Dietzel, director of the Women's Center. The problem is especially difficult to manage because it often goes unreported, she added.
The task force is currently looking to start an online education program much like AlcoholEdu. The program would replace SexualAssaultEdu, a short program within AlcoholEdu, and would take students about an hour to complete.
The majority of cases we're seeing perpetrators do not know what qualifies as sexual assault said Amanda Childress, assistant director of Health Promotion for Sexual Assault Risk Reduction.
People who commit sexual assault often do not realize they didn't have consent, Childress said, adding that alcohol is usually a factor in these cases. The program is designed to educate males and females on what constitutes assault and has separate versions for male and female students.
The number one date rape drug is alcohol
Dietzel said.
The education program, along with the advocacy program, would be fully funded by a three-year, renewable $300,000 grant. The advocacy program would work in conjunction with other groups on campus to provide services to victims immediately after a crisis, such as medical, legal and counseling services.
The education program probably would not be mandatory until summer of 2011, as the school must secure the grant and begin the hiring process for the advocacy program director.
The education program would consist of a TV show format with a panel of students discussing sexual assault issues interspersed with videos about people in difficult situations.
It's not just preaching information and facts at you
Childress said.
The education program would consist of a pre-test in the summer followed by a shorter post-test 45 days later as students transition into OU. Childress stressed the importance of the timing of the program, as the majority of student assaults occur among freshmen women in the first six weeks of school.
She said she was aware this could scare some freshmen but that the risk was worth it.
I would rather scare students then see them come to campus and get assaulted
Childress said.
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Tristan Navera
