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

["Abby Tassel" <>]

I share a somewhat extreme discomfort with the "unwanted sexual experiences"
approach to reaching community.  While I agree it may be helpful in getting
some people to understand what sexual violence is, it also severely
minimizes the trauma of assault and reinforces the myth of women waking up
the next morning and calling something that was "regretted" a sexual
assault. If it is going to be used at all, I think it is more appropriate as
part of a definition of sexual assault.

My experience is that there is widespread misunderstanding, especially on
campuses, regarding how assaults happen:  administrators, faculty and
students often believe that sexual assault is most likely a misunderstanding
(thus "unwanted" by the victim, but not clearly not consensual on the perp's
part).  It is hard to see our best and brightest college students as
offenders, but if we don't, we get stuck in sexual-assault-lite territory.
So my concerns about the "unwanted sexual experiences" extend to the
messages it sends the larger community:  that these aren't "real rapes".   

This also has implications for risk reduction, I think, because it means the
perpetrators target on campus as they would anywhere else.

Abby Tassel
Assistant Director
WISE
79 Hanover Street
Lebanon, NH 




-----Original Message-----
From: 

[mailto:]
 On Behalf Of Aline Jesus Rafi
Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2007 11:13 PM
To: Amanda Childress
Cc: 

Subject: Re: Language Question

Thank you Amanda, your input is very valid.

Just to address the second portion of your message, we have been 
developing prevention programs following the ecological model of 
primary prevention. Although risk reduction information will continue 
to be part of some of our programs, we don't believe they prevent 
assaults either.  We are striving to make a clear distinction between 
prevention and risk reduction initiatives.

All the best,


-- 
Aline Jesus Rafi, MA
Health Educator
Sexual Assault Prevention Education and Response
Emory University Student Health Services
1525 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30322
Phone: 404-727-1514
Fax: 404-727-9159
Email: 




Quoting Amanda Childress 
<>:

> We don't use "unwanted sexual experience" regularly, but some of our 
> survivors
> are not always comfortable calling it sexual assault/rape so it could be
> appropriate for specific incidences. It could be used for offenses 
> like sexual
> battery involving alcohol or an acquaintaince. Sometimes using a term
> like "unwanted sexual experience" helps ease into the conversation of
sexual
> assault/rape, that is until the survivor is ready to identify what 
> happened to
> him/her, their unwanted sexual experience, was infact a sexual
assault/rape.
>
> We also don't use the term "prevention." We believe using that term 
> puts a lot
> of blame on the survivor, like s/he could have "prevented" the assault had
> s/he just done..." Even if you use all of the "prevention" tactics out
there
> you still can be assaulted. At Ohio University we use the term "risk-
> reduction." We teach students how to reduce their risk of being assaulted,
> because you can't prevent something bad from happening to you, but you can
> reduce your risk. I hope that helps.
>
> Amanda Childress
>
>
>
>
> Quoting Aline Jesus Rafi 
> <>:
>
>> Dear Colleagues,
>>
>> I just started as the new sexual assault prevention educator at Emory
>> >
>> University last month, and I inherited many boxes of posters, and
>> other >
>> promotional items that use the term “unwanted sexual experience”
>> as a >
>> synonym for sexual assault.
>>
>> I’ve seen the term used in research papers before, but I am not >
>> familiar with it in a prevention and advocacy/response context. Some
>> >
>> students seem to have embraced the term, but personally its use makes
>> >
>> me a little uncomfortable.
>>
>> I was wondering if any other schools are using “unwanted sexual >
>> experience” in their outreach efforts and if you have received any
>> >
>> feedback from students and/or your campus community in general. Or
>> feel >
>> free to share your personal opinion as well.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> -- >
>> Aline Jesus Rafi, MA
>> Health Educator
>> Sexual Assault Prevention Education and Response
>> Emory University Student Health Services
>> 1525 Clifton Road
>> Atlanta, GA 30322
>> Phone: 404-727-1514
>> Fax: 404-727-9159
>> Email: 
>> 
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> SAPC mailing list
>> 
>> https://list.mail.virginia.edu/mailman/listinfo/sapc
>>
>
>
>
> Amanda Childress, M.Ed.
> Assistant Director
> Department of Health Promotion
> *********************************
> Ohio University
> 339 Baker University Center
> Athens, OH 45701
> 740.593.4742
> 
> www.ohio.edu/healthwell
>
>
>


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