Sexual Assault

Western Kentucky University is a community dependent upon trust and respect for its faculty, staff, students and visitors. We are committed to showing zero tolerance for sexual assault which violates that trust and respect. The Sexual Assault Services Coordinator (SASC), housed in the Counseling Center, is available to provide assistance in cases of sexual assault emergencies for WKU Students. A sexual assault emergency is when a student reports to HRL or UPD that sexual misconduct/assault has occurred. At that time, the Sexual Assault Services Coordinator will be contacted to offer assistance and let them know of the resources available on our campus and in the community. To access the Sexual Assault Services Coordinator (or designated back up) during normal business hours, please contact the Counseling Center at 270-745-3159.  Housing and Residence Life and the University Police Department might need assistance after hours. If this is the case, HRL will contact the SASC (or designated back up) directly to determine the need of the student (whether that be offering assistance by phone or responding in person to the residence hall, police department or hospital). The SASC (or designated back up) will be available to the University Police Department for assistance with victim services including advocacy during reporting. For the campus community not specifically listed, please contact the University Police Department for access to the SASC (or designated back up) if deemed appropriate.

The SASC will be the one to initially be called in case of a sexual assault emergency unless a designated back up person is identified for a specific time of coverage. In that case, the SASC will send an email with the date, name and contact information of the designated back up to UPD, HRL, Student Conduct, and the Vice President of Student Affairs.

To the campus community in general, all WKU employees (e.g., part-time, full-time, temporary, intermittent, etc.) must report information they have about alleged or possible sexual misconduct/assault involving student-to-student concerns to the Office of Student Conduct, and concerns involving, but not limited to, employee-to-student, employee-to-employee, and student-to-employee to the Equal Employment Opportunity office (EEO), within 24 hours of receiving such information.

Unfortunately, many survivors feel ashamed. Many feel as though they are alone or at fault. They may feel embarrassed or not understand the situation themselves. They sometimes feel blamed or rejected by family or friends. They may be afraid of further harm, especially if the perpetrator is someone they know, or someone on whom they depend. Some rape survivors judge themselves so harshly for a crime that was not their fault, they may believe that others will judge them as well. Face it, society often encourages the survivor to prove their innocence instead of perpetrators being proved guilty.

Many times, survivors feel guilty or blame themselves because they may have known or even liked the perpetrator. Yet in approximately 80 percent of reported sexual assaults, the perpetrator is someone the survivor knows. 70 – 80 percent of all sexual assaults involve alcohol and/or drugs, either on the part of the perpetrator or the survivor, or both. When an individual is impaired through the use of alcohol or drugs (including “date rape drugs”), consent is impossible.

Everyone copes with traumatic events differently. These ways of coping are influenced by the individual's coping skills prior to the assault, the severity of the assault, and the support system that is available to the survivor. Keep in mind people heal in different ways and at different rates. Some reactions you might see in response to an assault could be:

• A diminished self-esteem, feelings of shame, humiliation, anger, powerlessness, and guilt.
• A negative attitude towards her or his body. This could lead to self-harming behaviors (i.e. alcohol/drug abuse, eating disorders, mutilation, etc.)
• Difficulty trusting and being intimate with others
• Avoidance of sexual activity, or engagement in risky sexual activity
• Nightmares, fears of the future, fears of being alone
• Feeling numb and/or detached, like being in a daze or dream, or feeling the world is strange and unreal.
• Reliving the assault through repeated thoughts, memories, or nightmares.
• Avoidance of things (places, thoughts feelings) that remind them of the assault.
• Anxiety or increased arousal (difficulty sleeping, concentrating, etc.)
• Social problems: Could affect their performance at school and work. Difficulties in social relationships.

It’s so important to offer support to this person. You may be the first person that they have shared this trauma with. How you respond is very important.

• LISTEN: Talking about the experience, when the survivor is ready, will help acknowledge and validate what happened to them and can reduce stress and feelings of isolation. Let the survivor take the lead!! Be there for them; be supportive, not judgmental.
• REASSURE: Assure them it was not their fault. This is something they often need to hear and often will not indicate that this is what they need. They often blame themselves. So take the initiative on this and assure them they are not alone and not to blame!
• EMPOWER: Aid them in maintaining routine, as well as offer survivors options and possible solutions. Help them gain back control!
• BE PATIENT: Every journey through healing is unique. Try to understand it takes time and do what you can to be supportive. Each person heals differently and at different rates!
• ENCOURAGE: Encourage them to seek counseling! Encourage them to seek support! Encourage them to report the assault.
• SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION: Encourage them to seek medical attention, even if they do not wish to pursue charges and/or have a physical evidence recovery kit completed. There could be acute or internal trauma from an assault, but there is also the concern for pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
• BELIEVE THEM!