By Hannah Severson– Morningside College wants students to feel the campus is a safe place. Many employees of the college are working hard to make it a place where all students feel safe and are comfortable to speak out in case of sexual assault.
Andrew Pflipsen, associate dean of students, and Karmen Ten Napel, dean of students, have been working hard for students to know their options.
“The college is taking great steps; we are taking it very seriously,” says Ten Napel. “This has become one of the president’s [John Reynders’s] driving issues this fall. He is bringing in special speakers to educate the staff and talk to the Board of the Directors. For students we have an ad campaign and poster boards around campus.”
They already kicked off the ad marketing campaign with information about the subject on posters all throughout campus. The posters have information on what to do if sexually assaulted or if in need any help of that nature.
“The college does take these situations very seriously,” said Pflipsen. “We want students to have that safe and inclusive campus community and that is why this issue is so important.”
He goes on to say that residence assistants and apartment managers are now required to do a sexual assault program for the residents on their halls.
As of Monday, September 15th, an online educational program, “Haven,” which covers sexual assault, healthy relationships, domestic violence, and advocacy, is available to all students.
Carol Garvey, the college director of health services, said, “People are welcome to come in here [to the school clinic]. It’s where they feel comfortable though. There are several options on the campus for them to go to.”
Ten Napel also says, “We want every place to be a safe place, really. We want all offices to be a safe place. But we have also identified areas students may go with hopes they will feel comfortable on campus, whether it be my office or Andrews’ office, or their R.A., we have given them some options for people to report to.”
Garvey says that if an individual continues to offend or assault others and no one ever calls that person out then that person will keep going.
“If no one steps up and to not be embarrassed by it then they need to do the right thing and take care of themself first,” she said.
If you are ever assaulted or if you have already been assaulted in any way, you need to know that you should feel safe here at Morningside to go talk to someone about it. You don’t even need to press charges if you do not feel comfortable. If it happens during the weekend then try to speak to your R.A. or go to the emergency room. But like what Carol said, if you don’t step up and report the incident to the police then the perpetrator can go and do the same act to someone else and they won’t stop. If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, just remember, you always have the right to say “no.”
Women and men can be a victim. Sexual assault is the most under-reported violent crime in the United States. At least 1 in 4 college women will be the victim of a sexual assault during her academic career. At least 80% of all sexual assaults are committed by an acquaintance of the victim.
Don’t be a statistic, be the change.
For more information you can look at the Morningside College Student Handbook or online at: http://www.slc.edu/offices-services/security/assault/statistics.html
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