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

["Underwood, Jennifer" <>]

Hi all –

 

Last year, we saw such a pattern with students coming through multiple offices trying to deal with people distributing intimate pictures of them without their consent that we approached it in two ways. 

 

The Women’s Center added this as an example of a behavior on the continuum of sexual violence and incorporated it into our bystander education.  In the case of pictures that were consensually shared with one partner during the relationship, and then nonconsensually spread around by that partner, we heard a lot of victim-blaming statements such as “well, she should have known that was a risk when she sent the picture” or “if only they would just stop sending naked pictures of themselves to anyone, none of this would happen.”  We are now approaching as a bystander issue – if your friend tweets, instagrams, or posts a picture of someone, you have a choice whether or not to re-share it, and you have a choice on whether or not to say something to your friend about it.  Clearly, we encourage not re-sharing and having a conversation with the friend!

 

Student Conduct also modified their policy to make distributing audio/visual material without consent when the action is likely to cause injury, distress, or damaging to one’s reputation a standalone policy violation.  Previously, it had been more vague and lumped into examples of other types of policy violations.  Having it be standalone makes it stronger and more useful.  This will be helpful in these types of cases, as well as potentially in LGBTQ harassment cases.

 

We have had good success with the bystander approach – the students are engaging in some really good conversations and I think many are seeing the impacts of their previous behaviors differently.  After all, many of them have been engaging in this behavior, or at least exposed to it, since middle school.

 

Jen

 

 

Jennifer Underwood

Outreach Coordinator

Women's Center at Virginia Tech

206 Washington Street (0270)

Blacksburg, VA  24061

Phone: (540) 231-7806

Fax: (540) 231-6767

Email:

www.womenscenter.vt.edu

www.stopabuse.vt.edu

 

From: Otterson, Lynn [mailto:]
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013 3:20 PM
To: 'Kelley, Melissa'; ''; Moxley, Kathy; Harrington, Rebecca; Sapc Listserv (),
Subject: RE: healthy and unhealthy breakups

 

I had saved this recent article on this topic that is rapidly growing in importance because revenge porn is growing: http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/29/opinion/citron-revenge-porn/index.html?eref=igoogledmn_topstories

 

 

Lynn Otterson

Director

Women’s Center

University of Illinois Springfield

217.206.7173

http://www.facebook.com/UISWomensCenter

 

 

From: Kelley, Melissa []
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013 2:18 PM
To: ''; Moxley, Kathy; Harrington, Rebecca; Sapc Listserv (),
Subject: RE: healthy and unhealthy breakups

 

I’m interested in seeing what others have to say on this topic.  I am not a lawyer, but I do not believe it is illegal to share pictures that someone gave to you on those sites that exist for posting your exes pictures.  I think is a great way to discuss sexting and how whatever you do, like taking and sharing naked pictures can be used in ways to hurt you after the fact.  There are several sites where people can share pictures of their exes and while I don’t dispute its wrong;  I’m not sure it is illegal either…. I do know that there have been cases where exes have put naked pictures up with contact info for the person and they then are contacted by people looking for sex, etc.  I am sure though, like as the case on this campus, it would be a violation of campus policies….

 

Melissa A. Kelley, MS, CHES

Health Educator

University of Rochester - UHS Health Promotion Office

738 Library Road, Box 270472

Rochester, NY 14627

 

585-273-5772 Office

585-461-4637 Fax

 

“Learn, Discover, Heal, Create—and Make the World Ever Better.”

 

 

 

From: []
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013 2:24 PM
To: Moxley, Kathy; Harrington, Rebecca; Sapc Listserv (),
Subject: Re: healthy and unhealthy breakups

 

It's also a crime. Speaking of which, it definitely seems like stalking belongs in this discussion as well.

Alice Vachss

 

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

From: Moxley, Kathy

Sent: 09/12/13 11:17 AM

To: Harrington, Rebecca, Sapc Listserv ()

Subject: Re: healthy and unhealthy breakups

 

I would go beyond this being an "unhealthy breakup".  This is potentially a violation of Title IX and the school's student code under sexual exploitation.

 

Kathy Fahl Moxley, ACSW, LCSW

Director, Women's Outreach Center

Coordinator, Sexual Assault Response Team

University of Oklahoma

900 Asp Ave., Room 247

Norman, OK 73019

405-325-5352

405-325-7493

 

 

From: <Harrington>, Rebecca <>
Date: Thursday, September 12, 2013 11:14 AM
To: "Sapc Listserv ()" <>
Subject: healthy and unhealthy breakups

 

Hi all,

 

 

Reaching out for some help based on a request I received from one of our college’s counselors at my prevention committee meeting this morning. She said she is receiving more clients who are dealing with “unhealthy breakups”. The example she gave was the posting of naked pictures of an ex-partner on social media sites.

 

 

 

 

 

Has anyone addressed these kinds of behaviors from the perspective of healthy/unhealthy breakups?

 

 

Anyone interested in collaborating on this topic?

 

 

Rebecca Harrington

 

 

 

 

 

Health Educator
Office of Health Education
Counseling, Health and Wellness Center
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, NY 13820
(607) 436-3540
(607) 436-2074 (f)

 

 

 

 

 

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