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902-425-0122

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African Female

There are kind of two sides

The tricky thing is that, yes, they [my parents] would respond positively to the policy, but at the same time, they are the kind of people that don’t want much attention drawn to themselves - like a family member to get involved in this sort of thing [...]. I feel word spreads very quickly concerning that kind of stuff. So, they would be like, '’Okay, the policy is here,’’ but at the same time, they’d be like, ‘’but do you really need to report it?" Like, "Are you sure it was that bad?’’ They want you to, of course, if it was a serious situation, yeah go ahead and report it. But at the same time, they’re like, "Just be careful the way you handle it, or the way you approach it." So, there are kind of two sides. They support it, but at the same time be careful about the policy and what you say.

Recommendations

  • Use an app or other tool that allows students to anonymously ask questions about sexual violence and university policies against sexual violence.

  • Emphasize the victim's right to decide whether they would like to report the incident after they have disclosed it to the university. Ensure the victim is aware of the formal and informal routes for reporting, including the option of reporting to the police. Clearly communicate any limits to confidentiality.

  • In the policy itself and in materials and presentations promoting the policy, define "confidential" and "anonymous," and explain how these concepts pertain to the policy, university-based sexual assault services, and the limits on confidentiality and anonymity.