Sexual Assault Prevention

Understanding sexual assault is complex and LWTech remains committed to a safe and harassment free campus experience for its community members. All students can take part in prevention. Our community also recognizes the emotional toll sexual violence take on students trying to learn. Whether you experienced an assault or harassment on campus, or not, we want to empower you with support. LWTech is committed to your support and educating the college community about sexual violence prevention.

For Survivors

Unfortunately, sexual assault is common in the United States, throughout our society. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that "sexual violence affects millions of people each year in the United States." Victims may be ashamed, embarrassed, or afraid to tell the police, friends, or family about the violence. Victims may also keep quiet because they have been threatened with further harm if they tell anyone or do not think that anyone will help them.

We do have data that show these disturbing facts:

Sexual violence is common. More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes. Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 38 men have experienced completed or attempted rape and 1 in 14 men was made to penetrate someone (completed or attempted) during his lifetime.
Sexual violence starts early. One in 3 female rape victims experienced it for the first time between 11-17 years old and 1 in 8 reported that it occurred before age 10. Nearly 1 in 4 male rape victims experienced it for the first time between 11-17 years old and about 1 in 4 reported that it occurred before age 10.
Sexual violence is costly. Recent estimates put the cost of rape at $122,461 per victim, including medical costs, lost productivity, criminal justice activities, and other costs.

Counseling

Sexual violence causes emotional trauma and are not always easy to deal with. LWTech has a counselor who can talk with you about issues you are experiencing due to sexual violence. Contact the counseling center by emailing counseling.

Campus Public Safety

Students may contact Campus Public Safety for on campus safety escorts.

Reporting

You can report an assault using our report form, See Something Say Something. These reports are confidentially held and reported to trained campus administrators tasked with addressing and eliminating sexual violence.

There are organizations you can refer to for help, support, or learning.

Steps you can take after a sexual assault, from RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network.
King County Sexual Assault Resource Center maintains information and contacts for survivors.
KCSARC also offers information about therapy.

Myth: You can spot a rapist by the way he looks or acts.
Fact: There is no surefire way to identify a rapist. Many appear completely normal, friendly, charming, and non-threatening.
Myth: If you did not fight back, you must not have thought it was that bad.
Fact: During a sexual assault, it is extremely common to freeze. Your brain and body shuts down in shock, making it difficult to move, speak, or think.
Myth: People who are raped “ask for it” by the way they dress or act.
Fact: Rape is a crime of opportunity. Studies show that rapists choose victims based on their vulnerability, not on how sexy they appear or how flirtatious they are.
Myth: Date rape is often a misunderstanding.
Fact: Date rapists often defend themselves by claiming the assault was a drunken mistake or miscommunication. But research shows that the vast majority of date rapists are repeat offenders. These men target vulnerable people and often ply them with alcohol in order to rape them.
Myth: It’s not rape if you’ve had sex with the person before.
Fact: Just because you HAVE previously consented to sex with someone doesn’t give them perpetual rights to your body. If your spouse, boyfriend, or lover forces sex against your will, it is rape.

Reference: Help Guide

The MeToo movement began online by Taran Burke in 2006. Burke wanted to empower and advocate for women in New York by letting them know that they were not alone. Actors then reintroduced the idea in 2017 in wake of the Harvey Weinstein allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

This hashtag has helped shatter the silence that surrounds sexual assault and harassment, helping people and survivors open up about their experience.

Here is an overview of some of the other changes the #MeToo movement has facilitated or prompted.

Affirmed for survivors that they are not alone
Developed a stronger community where survivors feel like they have a voice
Demonstrated how widespread the issue is
Shifted social norms and opinions about the issue
Exposed belief systems that enable abuse
Increased compassion for survivors
Lead to concrete changes in laws and policies
Created avenues for survivors to speak up and share their stories
Broke the silence surrounding sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual bullying
De-stigmatized the issue and made it safe for discussions
Lead to the punishment or incarceration of some powerful men
Highlighted the fact that action is needed to instill anti-harassment policies
Prompted several states to ban non-disclosure agreements, which help powerful people hide their actions by buying the survivor's silence
Lead to the creation of Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, which has provided legal representation to nearly 4,000 survivors
Lead to expanded sexual harassment laws in California and New York
Lead to the creation and adoption of new legal standards by the International Labor Organization (10 countries have already ratified it)

Reference: VeryWellMind.Com

Reference: Center for Disease Control

Videos to Consider

What is Sexual Assault

Amaze Org

What is Sexual Assault? Talking about sexual consent can be uncomfortable but it's important to understand what behaviors are categorized as Sexual Assault.

What is Sexual Harrassment

Dana Ball Legal Services

Sexual Harrassment is a type of bullying intended to hurt or intimidate someone. If this has happened to you, tell someone you trust—like a parent, family member, teacher, friend’s parent or neighbor. If the first person you tell doesn’t do anything, tell someone else you trust.

Things Not to Say to Someone Who's Been Sexually Assaulted

BCC

Nobody should have to experience sexual assault. For those that have, they say talking about the subject opens up a host of myths, misconceptions and assumptions from wider society - everything from being questioned on what they were wearing and how drunk they were, to being asked if, actually, they enjoyed it. These brave beings set the record straight.