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

["O'Brien, Lynn" <>]

Alice,

I appreciate your inquiry about making distinctions.  I may need to clarify my request as well as the services we offer here at Marquette. 

While we have advocacy services to survivors through our Student Health Center as well as support for the respondent through the Dean of Student’s Office, I am seeking assistance in developing a protocol for responding in a clinical setting to students who present after having been accused of assault.  We do see these students; mostly men but sometimes women.  They often present in crisis because they are overwhelmed by the worry that they could be suspended or expelled.  They usually deny the assault or claim that there was consent, which is not surprising.

We have a fairly sophisticated system in place to prevent victims from “running into” accused perpetrators in our waiting room.  We also do not provide mandated treatment; so students who require specialized treatment following a finding of responsibility would be referred out.  Those components of care are already established and in place.  We are seeking consultation from others about ways you determine appropriateness for your level of care, given that these students generally do not self-identify as perpetrators of a violent crime, although some of them likely are.  I have circulated this question to a list serve of college counseling centers and most of them refer out, which we find problematic unless they are admitting or found responsible. 

I hope this helps to clarify my request and I appreciate your thoughtful responses.

 

Lynn O'Brien, LCSW, LMFT

Counselor

Coordinator of Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Services

Marquette University

phone:  (414) 288-7172

fax:  (414)288-7598

 

From: [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 6:29 PM
To: Linda Pena; O'Brien, Lynn;
Subject: RE: responding to students accused of sexual assault

 

It seems like this conversation is about several different categories of services at once and that it would be really useful to distinguish between providing information about the process to accused students, providing actual counselling services to accused students, and providing advocacy to accused students.

Alice Vachss

----- Original Message -----

From: Linda Pena

Sent: 01/15/13 03:56 PM

To: 'O'Brien, Lynn',

Subject: RE: responding to students accused of sexual assault

 

On our campus, if the victim went to Equity and Diversity, the campus organization that is responsible for Title IX compliance, the accused perpetrator would be allowed to speak on his behalf. However, to this date accused perpetrators often are more likely to interact with the Director of Judicial Affairs. As the Coordinator of the Sexual Assault Program, to my knowledge we never had an accused perpetrator seeking counseling. Often our accused perpetrators are members of the Greek system and within their organizations, they may provide counseling and a course of action, especially to protect the name of the house. This is an area that is shrouded with complexities, especially for universities to provide the necessary assistance for the victim/survivors, as well as the accused perpetrator. 

Linda Pena 

-----Original Message----- 

From: O'Brien, Lynn [] 

Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 1:26 PM 

To:  

Subject: responding to students accused of sexual assault 

Dear colleagues, 

I work at the Counseling Center at Marquette University.  We have developed a protocol for working with victims of sexual assault which we think serves to create consistent and sensitive mental health support to survivors who present for care.  We are feeling compelled to develop a protocol for students that present who have been accused of sexual assault as well; in order to be Title IX compliant and to demonstrate similar consistency of practice.  Can any of you direct me to counseling centers where there may already be such a protocol in place. 

Thanks for your assistance. 

Lynn O'Brien, LCSW, LMFT 

Counselor 

Coordinator of Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Services Marquette University 

phone:  (414) 288-7172 

fax:  (414)288-7598