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

["LaDue, Lee E. " <>]

I think the best place is in a Women's Center because it implies a safe
space for women.  I think it is crucial for this kind of position to be
linked with an office that complements working with issues of violence,
with programs in general that deal with sexism and issues of oppression
etc. I don't think one can do this work without the analysis of why
violence against women is so prevalent. But I am fortunate to be on a
campus that has a women's center and your campus being fairly small may
not have one.  

I would suggest a more neutral place - perhaps an office in the student
union, supervised by someone in the Student Life division.  Otherwise,
carefully assess your student's attitudes about the counseling center
and health services - where would victims of violence be more
comfortable walking in the door?  Which place works at creating a safe
environment for women, since they are the majority of the victims of
sexual assault.  The difficulty with Health services sometimes is that
it implies a medical model and a counseling center can have restrictions
that make it difficult for an advocate to do their job and some people
still attach a stigma with going to counseling.  I have found that the
students I work with are very reluctant to go to the counseling center
(our counseling center is top notch too) because it is so formalized (
you go in and have a very set time to meet and you have to sit down in a
waiting area and fill out a long personal history form etc) and they may
have had really bad experiences with counseling in the past - I think
that would keep people from going to see an advocate there. Personally,
if I had to choose between the two - I'd choose Health services. You may
also want to consider physical layout.  We are in a house and so many of
our students comment on how that made it easier and more comfortable to
come here - it doesn't feel so institutionalized. But every state, every
campus has a different climate and different attitudes and beliefs.  I'd
ask the students.


Lee LaDue
Asst. Director/Coordinator - Gender Violence 
Resource Office
St. Cloud State University Women's Center
720 4th Ave. S.
St. Cloud, MN 56301
320/308-3995
Message: 5
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:42:35 -0500
From: "Anamarie Joosse" 
<>
Subject: Planning for a SAPC position
To: 
<>
Message-ID: 
<>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

We are a relatively small liberal arts college with a student body of
4200.

We are in the process of applying for the OVW grant and are proposing a
new
position of "sexual assault prevention coordinator."  This person's
primary
goals will be advocacy for victims and education/training on campus.

Where have you folks found is a good place for this position to be
housed?

I am leaning towards either the Health Services or the Counseling
Center. 
What are the pros and cons of each?

Thanks in advance for your input.
Anamarie
Chair, Sexual Assault Prevention Team


Anamarie Joosse,MA,EdS,LLP
Broene Counseling Center, Calvin College
3201 Burton SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
ph:(616)526-6123  fax:(616)526-8504



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