Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Barone,Ryan P." <>]

Hello Friends,
 
At our university we have been approached by the local police department
wanting to address the number of "drunk women" in our major party/bar
areas who are being sexually assaulted.  The PD believes that the number
of sexual assaults is going up, and they want to combat this with a
bystander intervention program. 
 
We have done lots of education with the interested parties on victim
blaming and the dynamics of sexual assault reporting.  We believe the PD
is coming from a good place (at least the officer we are working with,
he took a Women's Studies class so he has some background).  As an
independent study, they would like to have a graduate student(s) walking
around the bar areas and checking in with visibly intoxicated women to
make sure they are with people they know.  Specifically, they will be
looking to intervene when men are assisting/carrying/helping visibility
incapacitated women. While we know that no harm is intended, our
concerns are that this could potentially be a set-back in terms of
putting the responsibility on potential victims to "prevent" sexual
assault from occurring. The argument we have gotten in response to this
is that it is worth it if it prevents just one sexual assault from
occurring, with the justification is that it is easier to identify
potential victims than potential perpetrators. 
 
There exists many logistics to be worked out, but we are soliciting some
preliminary thoughts.
 
We are wondering if any of your universities have any kind of structured
bystander intervention programs where students actually patrol parties
or the bar areas.  If so, who coordinates it?  Who does the training?
Are the participants men or women?  Do they wear identifiable clothing?
What kinds of liability issues have you had?    
 
Any insight would be extremely helpful.  Thanks for your time,
 

Ryan Barone

 
 
 
Ryan Barone
Men's Project Coordinator
Office of Women's Programs and Studies
112 Student Services
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-8200

970-491-6384
970-491-4922 (fax)