September 27, 2016

Page 1

The

Minnesota State University, Mankato

www.msureporter.com

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

MNSU offers support for sexual assault victims

mnsu.edu

ELLYN GIBBS Staff Writer On sunny Panama Beach, hundreds of onlookers watched and videotaped while multiple men assaulted a nineteen-year-old girl in broad daylight. This wellknown gang rape incident happened back in March 2015, but it still remains a chilling illustration that people are unprepared to handle sexual assaults, and sexual assaults can happen anywhere. Bystanders are unreliable to step in and help. We should all educate ourselves on resources available, so we are prepared to help ourselves

and others if a crisis occurs. Due to recent assaults and reported incidents on campus, The Reporter wants to provide a reminder of what resources MNSU offers to victims of rape and assault. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES: One item that the university encourages students to do is download the free Circle of 6 app. The Circle of 6 allows users to choose six people to instantly text if trouble arises, simply by touching one of three icons. The car icon communicates, “Come get me home safely.” The phone icon asks for someone to call and provide an interruption in a sticky situation. The chat icon communicates that the user is looking for relationship advice. The exclamation

point icon dials a customizable national hotline for instant help. IN AN EMERGENCY: If you’re experiencing an emergency, dial 911 first. Keep in mind that this does not legally require you to press charges or take any kind of legal action in the case of sexual violence or assault. It’s simply a call for immediate help. It’s also wise to keep the campus security number in your phone: (507) 389-2111. Campus Security offers walking escorts 24 hours a day, and you can also find their emergency telephones located around campus with buttons that will contact security directly. HELP FOR VICTIMS Off-campus, CADA (the

Committee Against Domestic Abuse) also provides a 24-hour crisis line: (800-4770466). This number puts you in contact with a CADA advocate, who will give you options for your situation, walk you through reporting an incident, and go along with you to the police station or hospital if you are uncomfortable going alone. A CADA advocate also provides mental and emotional support in time of crisis. They are entirely confidential and not affiliated with the University. If you are in a consistently bad relationship where you go through sexual abuse or violence, if you are being stalked, or if you have experienced rape or assault, the University offers multiple resources as well.

The Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX (507-3892986) will investigate reported cases of assault and help you explore your governmental rights and options. The Counseling Center on campus (507-389-1455) is a confidential resource, and students can meet with licensed counselors free of charge to get emotional and mental help. Students can receive ten free sessions per year and must complete a brief amount of paperwork before beginning their first session. They are located in CSU 285. For more information on reporting an incident, pressing charges, counseling help, and other resources, go to http://www.mnsu.edu/eotitleix/titleix/.

MSSA discusses sexual assault alerts, vegan options RACHAEL JAEGER Staff Writer During the MSSA meeting held in the Nickerson conference room Wednesday afternoon, sophomore John Neitge presented two issues of concern to the senate: sexual assault is being overlooked and the vegan menu needs expansion. Since Police Officer Wilkins did not show up to the meeting to respond to the sexual assault matters, Neitge still presented rhetorical questions for the MSSA so they could work together to evoke awareness of negligence. “Why are general star ID alerts that may take the pri-

TODAY’S FEATURED STORIES

vacy of the survivors not sent out to the students in event of a reported sexual assault, such as the one that happened on Sept. 11?” Neitge asked. As he researched for his answers, they had varied but the general consensus was because the suspect in question was removed from campus. He expressed his confusion in the fact that students have received numerous star ID’s announcing a robbery but the suspect has been apprehended. “Why do we still receive those alerts but not receive the same alerts when sexual assaults happen on campus that are reported?” he asked,

in reference to the same comment Sabrina had made earlier in the meeting, in which he felt the university needed more consistency. “Just notifying people that [sexual assault] happened and that the suspect has been apprehended would ease a lot of tension and relieve a lot of students’ stress about certain events, especially when we find out about them from the local news and not the actual college in and of itself.” Last month, the university required students to take a Consent and Respect course, as it is now federally mandated, and warned the students that their courses would be dropped if they had not tak-

en it by Sept. 1. But after Neitge had talked to a couple students who had ignored the mandate, they had told him they had not received the penalties as promised. Neitge expressed his curiosity as to how many students actually completed the course and who did not. “What is the point of having that penalty and then not enforcing it?” he asked. Neitge instead focused on how they affected the students. With that, he also questioned how effective the course actually is on lowering the sexual assaults on campus, especially since at the time the university had required students to take the

Does media have too much say?

Mavericks earn two shutout victories

ARQ full of action, peril

Page 3

Page 4

Page 6

course. Neitge added that he knew of students who clicked through the course without paying attention to the details. “There is no engagement on a personal level,” he stated. He also gave his opinion that the course should have been more relatable, especially to men who were sexual assault survivors or the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. He ended his discussion saying he believed the MSSA could explore more effective

SENATE page 2

Have a story idea or a comment? EMAIL

News Editor Nicole Schmidt nicole.schmidt-3@mnsu.edu


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
September 27, 2016 by MSU Reporter - Issuu