The Sandspur

Issue date: 2/12/07 Section: Life & Times

Sexual Harassment at Rollins

Rollins' Sexual Misconduct Task Force was initiated last Spring to discover the nature of sexual harassment and assault on campus. The former Dean of Students and current Provost of the College, Roger Casey, brought together a group of students, faculty, and staff to revise decade-old policies and revamp the dated system of handling sexual misconduct cases. One of the first projects was to install victim advocate signs in public areas like restrooms so persons who have experienced sexual assault, especially rape, would know what to do and who to call. Most students don't report incidents to campus officials because they do not wish to take judicial action against their perpetrator and often fear being ostracized by their peers. The Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Program at Rollins is meant to provide confidential counseling for students who have experienced sexual harassment or assault on campus.

The work of the task force is guided largely by the efforts of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to understand the nature of sexual misconduct on college and university campuses and to develop strategies for dealing with the problem. The AAUW conducted a nationally representative survey of undergraduate students in the Spring of 2005 and found that nearly two-thirds of college students experience sexual harassment at some point during their four years at college. The study also found that one-third of first-year students experience harassment, which was broadly defined in the survey to include anything from suggestive looks, gestures, and comments to forced physical contact. The goal of the study was not only to find out who is harassed, but who is doing the harassing. Over one-third of respondents admitted that they have harassed someone, and 60% said they did it because they thought it was funny.

How the Rollins campus compares to these national statistics is currently unknown, but senior Psychology major Amanda Gilmore will be conducting a prevalence study of sexual harassment at Rollins in the coming months. Ms. Gilmore's survey is adapted from the AAUW national survey and will hopefully provide more insight into the nature of sexual misconduct at Rollins. While both Campus Security and CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) have records of reported incidents, the prevalence study of Rollins will provide important information about sexual misconduct that goes under the radar. For now the task force only has limited first-hand accounts from people, including students and professors, who have experienced or witnessed sexual assault on campus.

An important goal of this self-study is to find out how Rollins students define sexual harassment, as the line between what is friendly and what is threatening is often difficult to draw. Are those sexually charged messages from your ex's friend sexual harassment or were they just joking? Was that smack you-know-where a friendly gesture or an act of intimidation? Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what is uncomfortable and unwanted, but it is up to the Rollins student body to uphold standards of decency and respect that create an environment where every student feels safe.

For more information about Rollins' Victim Advocate Program call (407) 628-6340 or visit http://www.rollins.edu/dosa/percoun/victims.shtml

- Some Statistics:
Nearly two-thirds of college students experience sexual harassment during college
1 in 4 college women report surviving rape
90% of sexual assault survivors on American college campuses knew their perpetrators.

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