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

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Hi all,

 

I used to get very outraged over risk reduction programs, but as I’ve gotten older, more experienced, and thought more about comprehensive approaches to culture change, I’ve changed my tune. I think that it is totally fine to include risk reduction programming as long as:

 

1. The programming is clearly identified and explained as risk reduction, not prevention
2. The trainers discuss the complexities of doing risk reduction well, and address how easy it is for well-intentioned people to accidentally slip into victim-blaming mode when they’re doing risk reduction
3. The program educates attendees about tonic immobility and other aspects of neurobiology of trauma, and clearly explains that no matter how well trained a potential victim is in risk reduction, that person may still be victimized due to neurobiological responses to trauma.
4. The program addresses the fact that most perpetrators are known to, and trusted by, their victims, so it is often confusing or even unimaginable for victims to think about applying risk reduction in personal relationships and comfortable situations, etc.
5. The campus/community provides primary prevention and bystander intervention programs along with risk reduction programs. If a community only provides risk reduction programs, then that’s when the use of risk reduction initiatives becomes problematic and victim-blaming.

 

As for a risk reduction program being only for women – that’s fine with me. Women are the majority of victims, and the vast majority of offenders are men. That’s the reality of our society and the reality of life around the entire planet. The number one risk factor for sexual victimization is being born female. Women and girls are STILL socially conditioned in very different ways than men and boys – women and girls are STILL conditioned to be “polite,” passive, prioritize men’s feelings and goals over their own feelings and goals, and worry about how their sexual behaviors and social interactions will be interpreted by society. A risk reduction program that appropriately addresses all these issues would be great. From what I read on the Flip the Script website, it seems like this program does that.

 

Of course, it could also be helpful to have risk reduction programs for men, or mixed gender programs. The curriculum would need to be adapted to address the contexts in which men are sexually victimized; most male victims are assaulted when they are young (children or teens) by adult men. Not women. As adults, most men are victimized by other men. Not women. So I’m not sure what the content for a men’s risk reduction program on college campuses would look like. It’s dangerous to create gender-neutral messaging which implies that rates of female and male offenders are the same, have the same rationales and motivations, and operate in the same way, because there are very different gendered aspects of offending. I would want to see experts in female offenders being included in the development of risk reduction programs for men, to ensure that misinformation about female offenders is not being spread.  

 

Sincerely,

Mahri

 

Mahri Irvine, PhD
Director of Campus Initiatives
Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault
9245 N. Meridian Street, Suite 227
Indianapolis, IN 46260
317-624-2370 (office)
317-872-1164 (fax)

 

@ICESA_Campuses

@Mahri_Irvine
@Indianacesa

 

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As a patriotic and concerned American, I pledge to respect, support, and protect Muslims, immigrants, women, people of color, survivors of sexual violence, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, and all other vulnerable groups of people. I hope to live in a country in which my political leaders and my fellow citizens value and promote compassion, respect, kindness, logic, and critical thinking.

 

From: <> On Behalf Of Mary A. Wyandt-Hiebert
Sent: Wednesday, June 6, 2018 10:16 AM
To: Melissa Babb <>; Peters, Sara <>;
Subject: RE: Question regarding Flip the Script prevention education program

 

Always intrigued by something new to me, I looked at the webpage shared and immediately was turned off by it if for no other reason than the first thing that glared at me were the words “sexual assault resistance education for university women“. First of all, this places the onus of not being a victim solely on the woman. In other words, if you don’t resist sexual assault, then somehow by default I suppose you must have allowed it to happen or take it a step further and perhaps even wanted it to occur. Wow, consider how much these concepts alone perpetuate victim-blaming and rape myths. Secondly, it is not inclusive being only for women (and trans-women, I suppose an attempt to make it inclusive). After all, we know sexual assault isn’t perpetrated only against women or trans-women. Men and trans-men are victimized as well. Here again is another example of perpetuating widespread rape myths. And my final thought for sharing is in reference to the section about “how does flip the script work?” There is so much that I could say here, but will attempt to keep my comments brief: 1) The program is one of risk reduction, not prevention. Be sure to understand the difference. Risk reduction education can be helpful, but must be exercised with a great degree of caution not to place blame on those who do experience sexual violence. 2) The program relies on one being able to cognitively process cues and process responses to situations. However, we know that the vast majority of sexual assaults, particularly among college women occur when alcohol and/or other substances are also present/used. Hence, as Melissa Babb pointed out in her response below, it does not account for when one is under the influence or incapacitated. 3) And finally, as referred to before, it places the entire onus on the potential victim as they are to “resist” and use a “range of verbal and physical strategies for keeping yourself safe if someone tries to hurt you.” Again, this perpetuates many of the victim-blaming rape myths that are so prevalent within our culture; that is, if a sexual assault does occur, then the “victim” must not have done something to keep herself safe and by default is at least in part to blame.

 

Not only does this program not address prevention of sexual violence, but it is also not very trauma-informed with regards to the language at least presented on the webpage. Sara Peters, you have many reasons to have concerns and I encourage you to voice those concerns. Also, I wish to share with you a resource that may be helpful to you with regards to articulating your concerns. Have you seen the ACHA toolkit that was released earlier this year? Go to http://www.acha.org/ACHA/Resources/Publications/Violence_Toolkit/ACHA/Resources/Addressing_Sexual_and_Relationship_Violence_A_Trauma_Informed_Approach.aspx?hkey=fc0413b8-eecd-4a05-89ef-98e60a9ddc50 and you can download it from there.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. M. A. Wyandt-Hiebert, PhD, MCHES, CWHC, CA

Director, STAR Central, Pat Walker Health Center

Advisor, RESPECT

Asst. Professor, Public Health Adjunct Faculty

Provost Lecturer

Division of Student  Affairs, University of Arkansas

 

 

 

From: [mailto:] On Behalf Of Melissa Babb
Sent: Wednesday, June 6, 2018 6:51 AM
To: Peters, Sara <>
Cc:
Subject: Re: Question regarding Flip the Script prevention education program

 

I will start by saying that I had not heard of this program until just now, so I don't know everything it covers. One question I'd want to know would be how it addresses tonic immobility and/or if the survivor is incapacitated due to drugs/alcohol or can not resist/fight back for other reasons. 

 

On Tue, Jun 5, 2018 at 10:13 PM, Peters, Sara <> wrote:

Hi All, 

 

Some of our Title IX people would like to bring Flip the Script (http://www.uwindsor.ca/sexual-assault/FlipTheScript)  to campus and I have some concerns. It was featured in a NYTimes article  that made everyone here very excited. I would love some feedback if anyone has looked into this program. Best, Sara

 

 

Sara K. Peters

Director of Center for Women and Gender Equity
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

University Center 351A
615 McCallie Avenue
Department 1801
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: 423-425-5605
Fax: 423-425-5649

 

Pronouns: she, her, hers

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"You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

~ A. A. Milne

 

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Melissa Babb, Psy.D.

Interpersonal Violence Coordinator

Licensed Psychologist #4512

North Carolina State University Counseling Center

919.515.2423

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