Managing the Risks - Sexual Assault Prevention - Presentation 6 of 9

Managing the Risks
A Risk Management Presentation
For UT Dallas Student Organizations

Sexual Assault Prevention
Presentation 6 of 9

OBJECTIVES
• To understand the parameters of what constitutes sexual assault
and how this relates to state law and university policy.
• To understand the risks and detrimental effects of sexual assault
as they relate to you individually and to your organization.
• To be able to confront the most common myths related to
sexual assault and consent.
• To learn how to best respond to and support survivors of sexual
assault.
• To understand the difference between risk reduction and
prevention.
• To learn how to take proactive steps to reduce your risk of
becoming a victim of sexual assault.
• To become aware of available campus and community
resources.
MANAGING THE RISKS ● Sexual Assault Prevention

Definitions
Sexual assault is any unwanted, non-consensual sexual
contact against an individual by another.
Sexual misconduct includes unwelcome sexual advances,
requests for sexual favors, or verbal or physical conduct of a
sexual nature directed towards another individual that does
not rise to the level of sexual harassment but is unprofessional
and inappropriate for the workplace or classroom.


Definitions
Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances,
requests for sexual favors, verbal or physical conduct of a
physical nature when:
• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition of employment or student status;
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for evaluation
in making personnel or academic decisions affecting that individual;
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual’s performance as an employee or student or creating an
intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.


How Does This Relate To You?


Texas State Law
State Law – Section 22.011 of the Texas Penal Code
identiﬁes sexual assault as a 2nd degree felony in the State
of Texas
Texas Penal Code available online at
www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.22.htm#22.011


Policy
UT Dallas is committed to creating and maintaining an
educational environment in which all persons who participate
in University programs and activities can work together in an
atmosphere free of sexual and relationship violence.
Sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking offenses,
regardless of the motive or the manner in which they are
executed, are criminal behaviors and produce an environment
counter to the mission and goals of the University.


Penalties
Students can face expulsion from the University in sexual
assault and harassment cases. In the State of Texas, sexual
assault is considered a felony offense, and the consequences,
more often than not, can lead to incarceration for anyone
found guilty.
Persons involved in a sexual assault or sexual harassment case
can face University sanctions as well as criminal or civil
penalties.


How This Impacts Student
Organizations
Knowing the facts about sexual assault is important for
student organization leaders because:
• It will help you to create student events that foster an
environment of mutual respect and reduce the risk for a
sexual assault happening as a result of the event.
• As a student leader on campus, other students may come
to you seeking support and/or guidance related to their
own experience(s) of sexual assault.


What You Can Do?
•Do not leave drinks unattended.

•Use a “buddy” system where you can alert your buddy upon
Feeling threatened or uncomfortable in a situation.
•Maintain constant awareness of your surroundings.


PREVENTION Vs. Risk Reduction
It is important to note that the only people who can truly
prevent sexual assault are those who choose to perpetrate it.
A student can follow all of the recommendations for risk
reduction and still become a victim of sexual assault.


Issues Of Consent


Definition Of Sexual Assault
Sexual Assault occurs when a sexual act is directed against
another person when that person has not consented, is
incapable of consenting, or when the act is forced.


Consent Is...
• Based on choice
• Active, not passive
• Only possible when there is equal power
• Giving one’s permission by actively saying, “Yes”
• Negotiable at each stage of intimacy: saying yes to one
sexual act does not indicate yes to everything


Consent Is Not...
• Giving in because of fear or coercion
• Based on manipulation, deception, or lying
• Possible when one person has more power
• Clear when alcohol and drugs are involved…Substances
impair our ability to consent as well as our ability to read
another’s signals/body language


Predatory Drugs
• Alcohol is the most frequently used drug to facilitate
sexual assault.
• Other drugs include GHB, Rohipnol, and Ketamine which
often affect memory and the ability to control one’s limbs/
body.
• These can be easily slipped into someone’s individual drink
or into a group drink that is not being monitored.
• The use of these drugs to facilitate sex with someone
without their knowledge constitutes sexual assault.


Fact Or Fiction?
Confronting The Myths Around
Sexual Assault


MYTH#

Only women can be raped or sexually assaulted.

FACT#

Rape and sexual assault are about power and control and
not about the biological sex or gender identity of the
victim or offender.
Whether identifying as male, female, or transgender, all can
become victims.


MYTH#

If a man sexually assaults another man then both men must
be gay.

FACT#

Sexual assault is about power and control and not about
sexual desire or attraction. In the above scenario, the
offender’s and victim’s sexual orientations are unknown
and exist apart from each other and the sexual assault.
Men are most often the offenders of sexual assault,
regardless of the gender identity of the victim. The vast
majority of these male offenders are heterosexually
identiﬁed.


MYTH#

Victims or survivors of sexual assault are often to blame for
what happened to them because of what they were wearing
or how much they had to drink.

FACT#

Regardless of what a person is wearing, how much they
have to drink, or who they are hanging out with, no one
asks or deserves to be sexually assaulted.
Remember, the person who is responsible for the sexual
assault is the person who commits it.


MYTH#

When someone says “no” in response to a sexual advance,
they are just playing “hard to get.”

FACT#

If someone says, “no,” to a sexual advance, then that “no”
needs to be respected.
Continuing to push, coerce, or manipulate someone into
doing something sexual that they don’t want to do
constitutes sexual assault.


MYTH#

If the word, “no,” is not actually voiced during a sexual act,
then the act is consensual.

FACT#

The absence of a “no” does not mean that an act is
consensual.
Remember, consent can only be achieved when:
1.Both participants are fully conscious;
2.Both participants are equally free to act;
3.Both parties have clearly communicated their willingness/
permission; and
4.Both parties are positive and sincere in their desires.

The Effects Of Sexual Assault


For The Victim/Survivor
SHORT-TERM
•Numbness
• Uncontrollable crying
• Anger and rage
• Guilt and shame

•Difﬁculty concentrating
• Flashbacks
• Withdrawal from support
systems

LONGTERM
•Alcoholism/Drug addiction
• Eating Disorder
• Chronic physical pain (i.e. migraines, ﬁbromyalgia, etc.)


For The Offender
• Guilt and shame
• Possible investigation by Student Judicial Services and
disciplinary action by UTD
• Possible investigation by law enforcement, court trial, and
imprisonment


For The Student Organization
If the victim and/or offender are in your student organization:
• Decreased ability to be active participants in the
organization due to the time, energy, and ﬁnancial strain of
managing the after-effects of sexual assault
• Harmful intra-organization splitting along loyalty lines
(especially if both parties are in organization)
• Tarnished reputation of your organization if the sexual
assault happened as a result of one of your sponsored
events


Reducing Your Risk


Reducing Your Organization’s Risk
• Have someone designated to monitor and control the
distribution of alcohol.
• Establish an organizational culture that does not tolerate
sexually predatory behaviors and holds the offenders of
such behavior accountable with tangible consequences.
• Intervene when you observe coercive or questionable
behavior.


Reducing Your Organization’s Risk
• Attend functions, parties, etc. with at least one other person
that you trust. Arrive together and leave together.
• Maintain control of your particular drink. If you set it down
or it is out of your control for any period of time, throw it
out and get a new one.
• Have resources available for the ongoing education of your
organization’s members.
• Begin and continue dialogues about these issues.


Supporting A Survivor


Key Aspects Of Support
• Listen
• Believe
• Validate
• Offer Options
• Focus on empowering the victim/survivor rather than
making choices for them
• Know available resources


On-campus Resources
United Against Sexual Assault, 24-hour year round
conﬁdential hotline

- 972-883-2575
University Sexual Assault Policy
- dox.utdallas.edu/policy


On-campus Resources
Student Health Center
- utdallas.edu/healthcenter
- 972-883-2747
UTD Police Department
- http://www.utdallas.edu/police/
- A student who experiences any form of sexual assault is
encouraged to immediately call the police (911)


On-campus Resources
Ofﬁce of the Dean of Students
- www.utdallas.edu/deanofstudents
/grievance/
- 972-883-6391
-To ﬁle a complaint against another
student.
UTD Counseling Center
- www.utdallas.edu/counseling/
-972-883-2575

UTD Women’s Center
-www.utdallas.edu/womenscenter/
-972-883-6555
UTD Police
-utdallas.edu/police
-972-883-2222

UTD Health Center
-utdallas.edu/healthcenter/
-972-883-2747


Summary
• Sexual assault is an umbrella legal term that describes a
variety of sexual violations, including (but not limited to)
rape, attempted rape, and sexual abuse.
• Sexual assault occurs when a sexual act is directed against
another person when that person has not consented, is
incapable of consenting, or when the act is forced.
• Rape and sexual assault are about power and control and
not about the biological sex or gender identity of the victim
or offender.
• Sexual assault is a felony crime in the state of Texas.
University policy prohibits students from committing acts of
sexual assault.

Summary
• Remember, consent can only be achieved when:
- Both participants are fully conscious;
- Both participants are equally free to act;
- Both parties have clearly communicated their willingness/
permission; and
- Both parties are positive and sincere in their desires.
• The risk reduction strategies your organization should take
include:
- Attending functions, parties, etc. with at least one other
person that you trust. Arrive together and leave together;
- Establishing an organizational culture that does not
tolerate sexually predatory behaviors; and
- Intervening when you observe coercive or questionable
behavior.

Summary
• The best way to support a survivor who discloses their
experience to you is to actively listen, believe what they say,
validate their feelings, and offer them options in terms of
follow-up care and support.
• Voices Against Violence (VAV) counselor/advocates can help
survivors with better understanding their options regarding
follow-up medical care, legal and administrative measures,
and can also offer assistance with accommodations to help
ease the academic load following a sexual assault.
• A survivor’s options in terms of legal and administrative
measures include calling the police to make a report and/or
contacting Student Judicial Services (SJS) to ﬁle a formal
complaint against the alleged offender if that person is a UT
student.

Additional Questions
Discuss with your organization’s leadership
• Faculty/staff advisor
• Risk Management Ofﬁcer (or other ofﬁcer)
• Alumni members/organization


Review Your Knowledge
1) Clink on the link below to get started
https://elearningpilot.utdallas.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp
2) Login with your netID and Password
3) In the my organizations box click on Risk Management Quizzes
2012-2013
4) Click on the quiz title that you will take.
5) Click Begin. As you proceed make sure all answers are saved.
6) Once you have answered and Saved all ten questions click save
and submit.
7) Wait for the submission report. Click ok to view results
8) If you have scored an 80% you may move on to the next quiz.
If you have not scored an 80% you must retake the quiz until
you have received a score of 80%

Managing the Risks - Sexual Assault Prevention - Presentation 6 of 9

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Managing the Risks - Sexual Assault Prevention - Presentation 6 of 9