“Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.”

Students are bombarded with different resources that address a variety of concerns. Binge drinking? There’s a pamphlet for that. Drugs? There’s a pamphlet for that. For any and every issue that faces college students there are dozens of organizations willing to provide you with resources to help solve them. Sexual health education and sexual assault prevention/awareness are no exception. Although a variety of resources can be helpful, they don’t create an image or a brand. In order to solve this identity crisis, we should encourage colleges and universities to streamline their resources so they can have a lasting impact on students.

So why is it important to form an identity for your sexual assault awareness initiatives? Brands help build inclusivity. They become not only recognizable, but memorable as well. You learn more from resources from a single source. Think of resources like storybooks. You want to have a cohesive beginning, middle, and end in order for the information to make sense.

Once you have your “story book” written, it’s significantly easier to implement programs and events. Utilize what you have to create campaigns and initiatives to show case your materials. At Wittenberg University I constructed a poster campaign, changed all of our resources, and co-founded a student organization all centralized around One Student. By adapting the materials that One Student has provided with our own, we were able to be unique yet develop one consistent image that’s relevant to our community.

A brand will help you address the following questions:

• What do we believe in?
• Why do we believe this?
• How do we help people believe what we believe?

Knowing our beliefs helps us capitalize off our beliefs. We need to understand ourselves in order to inspire passion in others. For most resources there is a lack of personality. Every campus has a distinct culture, why not use your culture to your advantage?

• Make your resources personal to your students and community.
• Create an image that will motivate students to be involved.
• Maybe this is with One Student? Maybe this is with another organization? The truly successful brand campaigns help connect students’ values with their organization’s values.

Strive for positivity when you construct campaigns. The primary focus must be on survivors. It’s very easy to navigate toward blaming rapists. By talking about educating and helping survivors, you are creating a culture that is empathetic to helping reduce a sexually violent culture. It’s important that men and women feel like empowered survivors, not helpless victims.

I believe that some ad campaigns that focus on the perpetrator can work, but it should not be an institution’s number one priority. How can we know if a campaign is successful anyway? Here is an example of a campaign at Edmonton University. The “Don’t be that Guy Campaign” focuses on reducing alcohol related sexual violence by displaying provocative posters of men about to commit a sexual assault.

There was a drop in sexual assault reporting as a result of this campaign. Although the statistics imply it was beneficial, I believe that some survivors could have been intimidated by these posters. This could have resulted in the opposite effect: Survivors not feeling comfortable to report their sexual assault. For me, I feel that this campaign gives way too much attention to perpetrators. If I were a survivor, this campaign would make me feel like my life was over. The first thought that crossed my mind when looking at some of these ads: “So he didn’t listen, what am I supposed to do now?” This campaign is also very specific. What if someone saw this poster after being raped? This could be a trigger and cause them to relive the nightmare all over again.

The bottom line in my eyes: There are positive ways that can help reduce sexual violence. I’m all about creating something edgy and provocative, but make it something that will make someone smile. At Wittenberg we had a “Naked Truth Week” campaign that had models appearing to be naked on the posters. It was eye catching and aided in getting students to attend our events, but in my opinion, it wasn’t cruel or intimidating. We need to be careful about the images we are creating. Yes building an identity is important, but don’t lose sight of your focus: helping survivors.

Since Jessica has become a special part of our family this past year we wanted you to get to know her better, we recently sat down with her to learn more about the woman behind the words. One quick read and you will know why we are her super fans!

Jessica Spohn is a dual Master’s degree student in Public Health and Social Work at New Mexico State University. Her main focus for advocacy and education is with the GLBTQ community, sexual and relationship violence, and alcohol/tobacco harm reduction. She is super excited to have the honor of continuing to write for the Editorial Board! You can (try to) follow Jessica’s random thoughts and ideas on why living like 5-year-olds will solve the world’s problems on Twitter at @lessthanthreeya

What made you want to be a part of the One Student Editorial Board?
A lot of the news we see on TV and read in articles is biased and victim blaming. I want to voice the flip side, or both sides, or congratulate the good stories. We need more focus on bystander intervention and general education on diversity if we are going to make progress in defeating rape culture. Plus, I’ve been a fan of One Student since it launched; the No Woman Left Behind campaign is very special to me.

What do you hope campus communities will gain from reading your articles?
Confidence. Sometimes, people just need ideas for starting a movement, like knowing that there are others with the same thoughts working toward the same goal. One person’s voice turns into big numbers quickly, but it takes confidence to be the first or one of the first to speak out.

What’s your favorite breakfast food?
I’m so bad and I don’t usually eat breakfast! But I really, really love California-style breakfast burritos… it’s all kinds of deliciousness wrapped up in tortilla, plus french fries.

What song would be the perfect backdrop to a documentary film about your life?
I have such an eclectic taste in music, it’s hard to choose (I had a list with 5 songs and then I decided that was too many). So “Try” by P!nk, and “I’mma Shine” by Youngbloodz. And my documentary would have to be a musical.

What inspires you?
Resiliency and perseverance, and people with incredible optimism even when life is mean.

In 2012, filmmaker Barbara Rosenthal followed One Student co-founders Kelly Addington and Becca Tieder as they shared their message of sexual empowerment, sexual assault prevention and social change with college campuses throughout the country. The result is “You Are the One” a thought provoking; laugh out loud, candid examination of the role we can all play in reducing sexual violence. This acclaimed film features thought leaders and inspires conversation.

The One Student family understands that not everyone has the resources to purchase a copy of the film, educational toolkit and public license, so we decided to give 12 copies away. How sweet is the prize? A copy of the film and public license retails for $175 and it could be yours for FREE! This means your campus community can host unlimited screenings for an unlimited time period. Not too shabby.

Enter the Giveaway Now!

Simply enter to win by completing the short questionnaire below by Friday, March 8, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Matt is the manager of the Women’s Volleyball Team at Wittenberg. In 2011, the team won the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball National Championship. Through his experience with the players and coaching staff, Matthew has realized that every person has a special role on any team. He has learned that team work, collective will, persistence, and a positive attitude are all crucial components to achieving goals. His Wittenberg Volleyball family has been the inspiration for some of the projects he has created to address sexual violence.

Two years ago one of Matt’s best friends was sexually assaulted. Sitting in his room one night crying he blamed himself, “I wish there was something I could have done to protect her.” As more victims shared their stories with him, the pain only got worst. Matt knew that he couldn’t sit back and do nothing. He found comfort and resolution in One Student and decided to take action.

A light bulb went off in his head. “Finally there is an organization that cares more about helping victims rather than blaming rapists.” Inspired, Matt created a campaign using One Student’s message to promote sexual violence awareness on campus. His strategy focused on unifying and involving student leaders as spokespeople. These people were then displayed on posters in men’s and women’s restrooms across campus. The posters were accompanied with tear off post it notes with local police and administrators who could help student victims 24/7. This was extremely beneficial for students living in residence halls. Having this information in restrooms provided victims and bystanders alike a convenient, readily accessible way to address a sexual assault at the moment it occurs.

A No Woman Left Behind Chapter was established on campus which he is currently Co-President of with his friend Jordyn Baker. Together, the duo has helped create a culture that is empowered to talk about sexual health issues. With the help of their advisor Dana Carnes and over a dozen organization members, they have produced some very memorable programs including “Naked Truth Week” which discussed sexual health as well as ways to become an advocate for sexual violence awareness. When Matt and Jordyn have solidified and inspired many students. Upon graduation, the campaign and the NWLB chapter will continue to leave a lasting impact on the Wittenberg community.

One of Matt’s favorite quotes is: “Creativity has the power to transform human behavior.” Matt believes that change happens when you step outside of your comfort zone. Sexual assault is not a comfortable thing to address because it’s hard and painful. Even in the light of something grim we must remain hopeful. Matt is grateful that One Student and its campaigns continue to inspire people like him to strive for change and live in a world free of sexual violence.

Thanks Ben for not just being a part of this growing movement, but for leading by example.

by Jessica Spohn

Recently, the documentary  “The Invisible War” was screened at my University. It is a powerful new film  released in June 2012 about Military Service Trauma (MST)—a topic that has long  been kept hidden. Military Service Trauma is defined by U.S. Code 1720D of Title 38 as “trauma… resulted from a physical assault of a  sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the Veteran was serving on active duty or active duty for training.” According  to the film, a federal court decision in December of 2011 deemed MST an  “occupational hazard” of military service. Rape and assault in the military happens, it happens often, it is not a new trend, and it needs to stop.

The documentary reveals shocking first-hand stories of the women and men who proudly served their country but are now affected by Military Service Trauma (MST).  The primary focus of the documentary is on female rape survivors, but according to the film, 1% of males in the military (approximately  20,000 people) have experienced sexual abuse while serving. The film tells stories of many women that have experienced rape once or multiple times by those they considered brothers, their superiors, or other military personnel whom they did not know prior to the assault.
In  2010, there were 19,000 reported cases, and according to the Military Rape Crisis Center, there is an average of one rape every 4 hours in the military. One of the most powerful parts of the film was a section of rapid sequencing of
woman, after woman, after woman—for over two minutes—stating she had been raped. A father of one female survivor (who had been in the armed forces himself) told his daughter after she had been brutally raped and beaten, that she was still a virgin because “they took something from you that you didn’t give.”

The facts in the film are alarming, and include:
·         1/5 service members have been sexually assaulted, bringing the modern total to around 500,000

·        15% of incoming recruits have attempted rape in the civilian population, but are still accepted

·        33% of assaults are unreported because the rapist was a friend of who it would be reported to and

·         In Fiscal Year 2012, of the 3,223 cases that weren’t thrown out and the men were convicted, 529 were
court martialed and only 175 did any jail time.

Less than 200  military-related rapists in 2012 did any jail time. This means that the rest continued to serve in the military or were released into society as a  civilian.  They were not convicted, they were not sentenced, and they were not added to the Sex Offender Registry warning others they were potential threats. Many perpetrators have multiple
victims and without any reprimand or rehabilitative services, there is a high chance they will continue this behavior.

One segment I found particularly disturbing was the segment on sexual assault ‘prevention’ education efforts the military have used in recent years. The educational videos reek of victim blaming and the posters use taglines such as
“my strength is for defending: ask her when she’s sober.” Personal conversations I have had with current and previous servicemen make me feel like the education could use serious revamping. In these conversations, the general consensus was that rape did not happen, sitting through all the trainings multiple times was boring and useless, and that if someone wanted to “get any” they could find it without force.

There is hope, however. Two days after viewing the Invisible War, Defense Secretary  Leon Panetta rescinded the right to prosecute from commanders, a major victory in the battle against victim blaming and fear of reporting and retaliation. For more information on the documentary and the movement, which includes where to find screenings in your area or assistance for yourself or someone you know that has been affected by MST, please visit http://www.notinvisible.org/

Congratulations! You made it. Welcome to college life, class of 2016! These next four years will be the best years of your life and I advise and challenge you to make the best of them. As I enter into my senior year, I’d like to pass down a few things  I have learned (the hard way) to ease your transition into college life.

Roommates

Living in a dorm is not easy. Living with a complete stranger in a confined space is definitely an experience.  Remember, fights will occur. It is good to talk about cleaning habits and set boundaries in the beginning so it’s not a surprise later. Spend a couple hours really getting to know each other. Always be respectful of your roommate  and their things, and likely they will show the same respect back. Remember to use I statements when communicating any issues or expressing needs. For example, “I feel this way when..” etc. With a little give and take from both sides, this complete stranger  could end up being  a lifetime friend.

Campus Life

I charge you to explore everything your campus has to offer.  Join clubs and get involved! There is something on every campus for everybody! If your campus has it, No Woman Left Behind is a great club to get involved in. It focuses on teaching Bystander Intervention with a goal of eliminating sexual assault on college campuses. There are also sports and intramural sports or  the gym if you want to stay active on your own.  Most of the services on campus are already paid for by your student fees, so take advantage of everything that is available to you!

Classes

Now this might seem silly, but go to your classes. It will be very difficult the first couple of weeks to get out of bed at eight am to go to class. Mommy won’t be there to make you breakfast or wake you up nicely. Take notes, go on time, and buy (and read) the textbooks!  You can always email professors with questions or go to their office hours.  The library is usually open late, and it’s a nice place to get work done especially if you have a talkative roommate. Also, do not overload the credits. Talk to your advisor and see what a workable load is for you. Remember you still want to have a social life as well.

The Other Part of College

Okay, everyone knows college is a time for intellectual advancement, but a great deal of social enrichment happens as well.  Just remember, if you go to a party, be safe. Always have your friends’ backs. Look out for each other. STICK TOGETHER. Unfortunately, bad things do happen in this world, but there are ways to prevent them. Be proactive in your thinking and it can be a wonderful four years.

 In these next four years, have fun. Try new things. College campuses have an array of different foods, try some! Take interesting classes, or learn a new language. The next four years are arguably the most influential of your life. Make the best out of them!

Something that bothers me is how quickly others expect individuals to bounce back from any kind of trauma—surgery, failing a class, or divorce, but especially domestic abuse and rape. There seems to be a lack of understanding that each survivor may exhibit a spectrum of emotional responses to the trauma (e.g., calm, hysteria, laughter, anger, apathy, shock, depression) as well as a lack of understanding that each survivor copes in a different way.  Victims and survivors of violence have their own culture— ideas, beliefs, and knowledge based on a shared experience. Competency is key to caring.

In my opinion, it’s time to increase awareness about the recovery process.

There’s a certain kind of fragility in resiliency. A person may look okay on the outside but can be fighting a battle on the inside, one whose scars will fade but will never completely go away. Victims of violence are victims until they feel they can overcome not only what happened to them but the mental and emotional trauma as well.  Then they transition to becoming a survivor. This process can take weeks or years.  During this process many victims experience denial and mental and physical sickness before they are able to realize their strong, self-potential as their own beautiful person again. Sometimes it just clicks; sometimes it takes therapy and medication and support groups in all shapes and sizes. It’s the individual’s unique journey and healing time.

Many times there’s relapse. Relapse is a switch back into the victim mindset or what I call “panic mode.” It is often caused by “triggers.” Triggers are objects, people, places, and so on that remind the person of the trauma or the abuser. They could outright see the abuser, someone associated with them, or someone that looks like them. They could see a car that looks like the one they used to drive, hear the ringtone they used to associate with the person, walk by the location where the event happened, or hear something in the news or read something on a social networking site.  Relapses can be quick or take longer, depending on the stage of the person’s recovery process, the situation, and how it is handled.

My new favorite concept that I’d like to share is “intersectionality.”  Intersectionality is a theory that essentially says our various cultures and physical features have a way of meshing together to create a unique us, and that needs to be recognized and accepted instead of discriminated against; a person is not solely their gender expression or sexuality or status as a survivor of abuse or their color of skin or their socioeconomic status, etc., but a combination of it all. And that’s okay! As I mentioned in the previous article, it’s okay to be who you are, even if some of it isn’t perfect, or even if you don’t show-and-tell it all.

We may not share all of our feelings and stories with the whole world or even our best friend, so keep in mind that people you meet may not indulge everything either. Each one of us is different, and each one of us can make a difference by promoting the respect, time, and understanding we would expect someone to give right back to us.

One of my favorite parts about fall is that along with pumpkin spice lattes and ‘jeans and sweatshirt’ weather comes college football tailgating season. Forget the actual football games—I’m here for the food, friends, and school spirit. I was lucky enough to recently travel to South Bend, Indiana, to watch the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish play the University of Michigan Wolverines (go Irish!).

While I loved the food, friends, and school spirit that filled the weekend at my home away from home, I couldn’t help but be completely appalled by what many Notre Dame fans (and fans from other opposing teams) seem to think is an appropriate way to root against the Wolverines. T-shirts, signs, and cheers endorsed the phrases “Ann Arbor is a Whore” and the ever so clever “Muck Fichigan.” While some may find these phrases benign, I believe these sentiments are telling of a greater football culture that sometimes condones harassment, assault, and shame.  As my colleagues on the One Student Editorial Board have pointed out before, jokes and myths surrounding sexual assault and harassment do contribute to a culture of violence.

The negative effects of this culture on our society necessitate this discussion on language. The  truth is that college age women are 4 times more likely to be victims of sexual assault, 54% of sexual assaults are never reported to police, and approximately 2/3 of assaults are committed by someone known to the victim (RAINN). Using the degradation of women and the promotion of acts of violence as a way to rile up sports fans is not only insulting, it lacks a general sense of imagination.

Calling Ann Arbor a whore and then asking why she didn’t “get it in” isn’t clever, it’s shaming. Hearing an individual, whether male or female,  shout and endorse this sentiment doesn’t demonstrate greater pride in their sports team. Rather, this sentiment demonstrates  the amount of work still yet to be done to rid our culture of misogyny. So, opposing the University of Michigan by degrading women and promoting assault doesn’t remove gendered oppression, it ensures it. And, no, I am not taking this too seriously.

There is nothing easy about taking a stand in an uncomfortable situation.

We are one of the few creatures that does not instantly respond to our gut feelings. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, they are normally spot on.

When you see a couple’s fight starting to escalate or a guy trying to usher a drunk girl into a bedroom, that is when the moment to be an active bystander or just a bystander begins.

We can do something, or do nothing.

One of the biggest tools in our fight to end sexual violence is the education and actions of others. Though police, counselors and medical professionals are there for all the needs of a survivor, they will normally not be called in until after an assault has already taken place.

The biggest heroes are the friends and bystanders who make the decision to step in. Being an active bystander does not always mean that one has to run directly into a situation.

Designed by the Sexual Violence Center, the Green Dot program is a training program to engage and prepare bystanders through three different approaches named the 3Ds: Direct, Distract and Delegate. Their motto, “No one has to do everything, but everyone has to do something.”

There are many factors that can hinder our involvement in a situation. We feel like we might make a fight worse, we are too shy, we don’t know the full story, we might be over reacting, we believe someone else will step in. With the 3Ds, bystanders can take an approach that is comfortable for them.

Direct: When one approaches a situation head on. In this approach, a person walks right up to the situation and let’s a person know that they need to stop. Examples:

•  “You need to leave my friend alone. She is obviously not interested in you are making us uncomfortable.”
• “Stop trying to take girls into this room or you will be asked to leave.”
• “I need to take my friend home now and I do not need help, thank you.”

Distract: In some situations we can’t just walk right in, guns blazing, and take control. As a peer educator, the distract approach has been the most successful for me because it can easily diffuse a situation without placing extra stress on the bystander. When you see a situation going on, distract the two opposing parties with anything that comes to your mind. While you distract one person with your stream of consciousness, a friend you have asked to help can check in the with the person you are concerned about and find them a safe right home. Examples:

• “Hey, you were that guy in my English class right? Yeah that one class with that teacher. No? No, I am a thousand percent sure! We did that presentation on the pandas! Well would you mind if I talked with your friend here really quick? Thank you!”
•  Spill your drink on them. No words necessary.
•  “Hey, I think your car is getting towed outside. I will stay here with your friend, while you go and check it out.”
•  “Hey that guy over there wanted to talk with you. He said it was something important. No, that guy in the far, far, FAR back corner. Yeah, just keep walking and you will find him. He is in the yellow shirt.”

Delegate: And last but not least, delegating. While each person has the power of their voice and actions, the power in numbers can be one of the most valuable tools. In many situations, you may not feel comfortable either going directly to talk with someone or having a friend distract them. So, call the dorm resident advisor, find the person’s friend groups, call the police and give the responsibility to someone else.

With these 3Ds, every person has the tools to stand up in their own way when situations become uncomfortable. With each interference, distracting comment, or call to an authority, you are making a change for the better. While you stand up for what is right, your actions will inspire others watching and in their next bystander situation, they will remember to use their voice for change.

To all the active bystanders, thank you for doing something.

For more information on the Green Dot program please visit: http://www.sexualviolencecenter.org/activeBy.html.