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

["Foubert, John" <>]

Victim Advocate Colleagues,

 

Indeed our field has much to be thankful for, from those like Wendy Murphy who have worked tirelessly on behalf of survivors – including those at UVa – who have been victimized and revictimized by policies that openly work against their best interests.  Thus the need for the now famous OCR Dear Colleague letter.  Had UVa made better decisions before being sent a Dear Colleague letter, subsequent to several cases being filed with OCR with the help of people who work on behalf of survivors, they wouldn’t be in the position to scramble in making policy revisions and putting out press releases through hired guns who say that they don’t take plaintiffs cases.

 

UVa is one of many examples of an institution with a long standing problem of revictimizing women through its sexual assault policy.  I witnessed this repeatedly when I worked in the administration there, and it is a primary reason why I resigned.  It seems that very little has changed, at least until the OCR acted, compelling UVa to respond.

 

We must all filter mightily the perspective of those whose primary motive is to protect the legal liability of colleges and universities.  Such a goal can often be in conflict with finding justice and healing for survivors.  If these principles are in conflict, we must make difficult choices about which resources to use, whose advice to follow, and which options we should pursue. 

 

John Foubert

**************************************

John D. Foubert, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Program Coordinator

Anderson, Farris, and Halligan Professor of College Student Development

Oklahoma State University

314 Willard Hall

Stillwater, OK 74078

(405) 744-1480

(405) 744-7758 fax

http://okstate.academia.edu/JohnFoubert

http://education.okstate.edu/index.php/csd-philosophical-framework

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003NCDDYM