collegian.csufresno.edu
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017
HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS REFORMING TITLE IX
Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper
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SEXUAL ASSAULT
She said she was raped What followed was a process nobody asks for
Editor’s Note: The following story consisted of two months of reporting by Collegian staff. Names of rape victims are typically not revealed in news stories. However, the subject of this story granted permission to the publication to name her. Our decision to follow through with this story was to shed light on the process of reporting and resolving sexual misconduct allegations on campus.
By Jessica Johnson @iamjesslj
S
he would see him everywhere. The man she accuses of sexual assault studied in the same courses as her. His major was her major. Between classes, she said, his eyes were fixed on her as she walked by. Though Chelsee Jacinto reported the alleged assault and subsequent frequent run-ins with her alleged attacker to the university’s interim Title IX coordinator, Erin Boele, she said nothing significant has ever been done. She alleges that he raped her as they worked on a writing assignment at his home. Jacinto spoke to The Collegian about her experience. Although names of rape victims are typically not shared, she gave this publication permission to use her name. The Collegian asked Jacinto for the alleged attacker’s name and contact information. She said she was not comfortable giving the information. Jacinto said she reported the alleged rape to law enforcement but believed that wouldn’t help her. Jacinto said the traumatic situation led her to understand the tough situation victims of rape are often thrust into, including not wanting to report the case if there is a chance they won’t be taken seriously. Jacinto’s story is like many others who have come out with allegations of sexual harassment and assault recently in and out of Hollywood, Washington D.C., and Sacramento. “I understand now why people don’t report,” Jacinto said. But the alleged attacker admitted to Jacinto via text message that, indeed, unwanted intercourse had taken place, Jacinto said. That message was shared with Boele, said Jacinto, who believed the message was enough for her request that he undergo interim suspension. It was not. “They choose to believe him even though he admitted I said ‘No’ to kissing, groping, touching and being carried,” Jacinto said. Jacinto said the man also admitted he heard Jacinto say “No.” Despite that, he then said, according to Jacinto, that she had changed her mind on engaging in intercourse. “I consistently repeated the same story over and over while he continually changed details of what happened,” Jacinto said. “And they chose to believe him.” Soon after the alleged assault, and after
Jacinto decided she could report it to officials at Fresno State, she found out how long and arduous the process would be. And, even tougher to come to terms with, Jacinto said, she realized that there was a chance her accusations would not be believed.
Seeking justice
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Rapes were reported on campus grounds between 2014-16
Her experience had led JaHer experience had led Jacinto to raise questions about the process at Fresno State. Is it enough to adequately address the needs of sexual assault or rape victims? As it stands this semester, Boele is Fresno State’s only interim Title IX coordinator. Boele has several responsibilities, including overseeing compliance with laws related to sexual misconduct, dating and domestic violence and stalking, according to the University’s 2017 Annual Security Report. Despite the seemingly small number of staff trained to serve rape or sexual assault victims, Deborah Adishian-Astone, vice president for administrative services, assured The Collegian Source: Fresno in a statement that the university State’s 2017 Annual is committed to meeting federal Title IX obligations to protect the Security Report victim students it serves.
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Rapes were reported off campus between 2014-16
Graphic by Kong Thao • The Collegian
Boele echoed those assurances. “My main job is to be neutral, to listen and make both parties feel comfortable and give resources to both sides,” she said. Following the alleged incident, the alleged attacker took Jacinto back to Fresno State, she said. Soon after that incident, Jacinto said she met with Lisa Risch, Fresno State’s only victim advocate. Risch’s role is to provide services to those who experience sexual violence, dating and domestic violence, stalking and sexual harassment. “I simply present options and support whatever decision they make,” Risch said. As the sole communicator between sexual assault victims and other resources, Risch said, she’d like to see more confidential support services for victims of sexual trauma. According to the annual security report compiled by the campus police department, two rapes were reported on campus grounds between 2014 and 2016. Three noncampus rapes were reported. Adishian-Astone said that,
in addition to outreach, the campus’ Title IX coordinator investigated the reports of rape and closed the case on some of them. “Only a limited number [of reports] have been appealed or had other procedural issues that delayed the timely resolution of complaints,” she said. Jacinto said approaching the university’s Title IX coordinator felt intimidating. She said she felt intimidated not just by Boele but, by the process, too. That process included filing a criminal report – that took more than a year. Boele said she does not mind arranging services that bring more comfort to students if interacting with her proves to be intimidating. “It’s definitely not what I ever try to put across,” she said. “I try to be very honest in the process and very honest with where we’re at.”
Reporting abuse
Jacinto said the report she filed with Boele took several times to complete in order to make sure the incident was adequately and accurately reported. “I asked Erin Boele to change the report three times because my statement written in her report was neither reflective of my experience nor accurate of my verbal and written statement that I gave her,” Jacinto said. When documenting allegations of rapes, Boele said, she will interview a complainant
See SEXUAL ASSAULT, Page 3