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

["Kaplan, Claire N. (cnk2r)" <>]

Hi Rina,

Please take this feedback as collegial, but I must disagree with this perspective. There is no reason to think that asking about sexual or gender identity is any more offensive than asking about race. This is how LGBTQ+ survivors are made invisible. They can choose not to identify, but one can always preface the question by stating that you want to capture the true characteristics of survivors, so that we can recognize LGBTQ+ survivors as well as others.  The same applies to religion or even if someone is a dreamer.  These are all important pieces of a person’s identity. As long as they understand that this information will not be used to undermine their case, but rather to help, they may be willing to tell you.

Best,

Claire Kaplan

————

Claire N Kaplan, PhD

She, her, hers

Program Director, Gender Violence and Social Change and Men’s Leadership Project

Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center

The Corner Building

1400 University Ave.

PO Box 800588

Charlottesville VA 22908-0588

434-982-2774

List Manager, SAPC

@clairskyk

From: <> on behalf of "Rhyne, Rina" <>
Reply-To: "Rhyne, Rina" <>
Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 11:59 AM
To: Sexual Assault Program Coordinators' Listserv <>
Subject: Demographic data collection

Hello,

 

I would like to get an idea of what type of demographic data you capture regarding complainants and respondents. Right now we capture for both complainants and respondents:

 

·         Gender

·         Year in school

·         Race

 

We do not capture sexual orientation because we find this too difficult for a variety of reasons (e.g. just because they reported an assault by a male doesn’t mean they identify as heterosexual – and then are we really going to ask in that moment how they identify?)

 

Thank you in advance,

Rina