Sexual Assault Awareness Special Issue: BYSTANDER INTERVENTION >> PAGE 4 |SEXUAL ASSAULTS MYTHS >> PAGE 4 | PERSONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT STORIES >> PAGE 5
VOLUME 15 ISSUE 5 | WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY| FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
BREAKING THE SILENCE: Addressing sexual assault on campus BY LAURA KNUDSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
W
ith national discussion building in response to the 89 colleges under investigation for mishandling sexual assault cases, one thing has become glaringly hard to ignore: sexual violence can happen anywhere. Since the start of this school year, half a dozen sexual assault cases have been reported at Western, according to Dr. Gary Dukes, vice president of student affairs. “So far we’ve had the most consistent amount of referrals we’ve ever had,” said Andrea Doyle Hugmeyer, assistant director of Abby’s House, a resource and referral center available to persons of any gender for a number of issues. In previous years, Doyle Hugmeyer said reports were scattered, with some months yielding no reports. So far, Abby’s House has had weekly referrals from sexual assault survivors since fall term started. In 2013, six reports of sexual assault were filed with Campus Public Safety, and seven anonymous reports were filed with the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs, according to Campus Public Safety’s published statistics, indicating that there may have been as many as 13 reported sexual assaults in 2013, or as few as six. Although there is a rise in consistent reports already this year, it does not necessarily mean it’s happening more on campus. Doyle Hugmeyer said she hopes it means people are using Abby’s House as a resource more than before. “I don’t know if people are reporting more because there is more support, but I think there is more awareness because of the culture,” said Nancy Minnick, Campus Public Safety Committee Scribe. Students acknowledge sexual assault as a reality on campus. Whether it is sexual, verbal, or on social media, “assault happens here,” said Brittany App, Senior ASL major. “It happens everywhere.” “Our campus doesn’t differ from anywhere else,” said Bryan Kelley, junior Humanities major. Studies conducted since the 1980s have shown a consistent figure of one in four college women reporting that they survived either rape or attempted rape, at some point in their lifetime, according to oneinfourusa. org. “Until that number is gone, it will always be an issue,” said Marissa Onshus-Womble, Advocate of Abby’s House. A 2007 national rape study funded by the Department of Justice found 11 percent of college women who experience rape, report it to the police. Rape is the least reported of all violent crimes according to a 2009 National Crime Victimization Survey. SEE ASSAULT PAGE 3 >>
Abby’s House Advocate Yazmin Alvarez participates in Take Back the Night’s candlelit walk around campus to promote awareness of sexual and domestic violence. PHOTO BY SHANNEN BROUNER
Finding a voice Event offers support, awareness, reflection on sexual and domestic violence BY JENNIFER HALLEY CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR Every nine seconds in the U.S., a woman is abused by her partner; one in three women worldwide are involved in domestic violence relationships; and every year, nearly 1600 women were murdered by their intimate partners. Sexual and domestic violence does not just happen to women, though; this affects men, too. Take Back the Night, an event organized by Abby’s House, gave voice to survivors of sexual and domestic violence on Wednesday night in the Werner Center. Every October, in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, survivors come forth and tell their story in a safe place, as well as raise awareness throughout campus. Jenna Beresheim, a senior who was at the event, said that sexual assault is a problem on campus “but one that is swept under the rug by victims who
blame themselves or feel ashamed and embarrassed. “This is a hot topic right now in schools,” Beresheim added. Deborah Thompson, executive director of Sable House – a resource center for victims of domestic and sexual assault – gave an educational speech about “violence against humanity” and how sexual and domestic violence is an epidemic that is spreading globally. “In 2013, in Oregon, there were 34 domestic violence fatalities,” Thompson said. She paused briefly, and then added: “That’s a huge number of peo-
During this silence, audience members were encouraged to speak up about their personal experiences. While they spoke, the room became heavy with emotion as people cried. Abby’s House advocates offered tissues and hand-squeezes. As time went on, more people spoke up as the gong went off in the background. More tears were shed and more voices were heard. The lack of men at the event was noticed, specifically by the men themselves that had participated in the event. “I think it is vital for men to be a
“In 2013, in Oregon, there were 34 domestic violence fatalities. That’s a huge number of people for one state; imagine the global effect.” DEBORAH THOMPSON DIRECTOR OF SABLE HOUSE ple for one state; imagine the global effect.” After the speech, the room went quiet for 30 minutes while a gong was hit every nine seconds to represent each time a woman was abused by her partner.
part of this issue,” Cody Bindrim, one of the men, who came to Take Back the Night, said. Bindrim is a sophomore at Oregon State University, but came to support his friend and be a part of this cause. SEE NIGHT PAGE 4 >>
NEWS
2 THE JOURNAL 345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LAURA KNUDSON journaleditor@wou.edu (503) 838-8347
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SUBMISSIONS THE JOURNAL encourages readers to share their opinion through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name. Contact information will not be published unless requested. Unsigned submissions will not be printed and original copies will not be returned. Letters to the editor may be up to 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 500 words. THE JOURNAL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE JOURNAL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content. Please bring submissions to THE JOURNAL at Terry House or email to journaleditor@wou.edu. Submissions must be received by Wednesday at 5 p.m. to be considered for print. All opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do necessarily reflect those of THE JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.
Landers closed as enrollment stalls BY ALLISON OPSON CLEMENT NEWS EDITOR Landers residence hall is closed this year due to a lull in admissions of freshmen who live on campus. The closure of Landers was occupancy-driven, according to Associate Provost David McDonald. Last year, Gentle hall was shut down for the same reasons. “We peaked and kind of stayed right there,” McDonald explained Western’s admissions trajectory. For the last four consecutive years, he added, Western’s enrollment has been relatively stable. “Last year was a one-student difference; you can’t get much more stable than that,” McDonald said. Western lost 30 students from 2011 to 2012, but added one between 2012 and 2013 according to the Oregon University System (OUS) Institutional Research Services. This is a fairly stable trend, said McDonald; he calls this a plateau Western has reached. Western’s retention rate for freshmen is 75.1 percent, compared with the OUS average of 82.1 percent, and Western’s graduation rate is at 51.2 percent, while the OUS has a 60.5 percent rate. The goal, according to McDonald and Tina Fuchs, dean of students, is to have full residence halls on campus. When there are fewer people, shutting down one hall means that the others have higher occupany. “It’s better for our students this way,” McDonald said. With Landers closed, buildings are fuller and students live in larger community groups. “Students living on campus are highly successful academically,” said David Sundby, the interim associate director of housing. “That’s why we have that first-year living requirement.” Part of the goal, according to him, is to get freshmen connected to campus. “The best we can do is make the experience as positive as possible,” Sundby said. With Landers closed, the Housing Office and Physical Plant have a chance to inspect that facility, said Fuchs; this is also a chance to evaluate the entire residential system. “We want to take a step back, evaluate out facilities and see what it means for the future of housing,” said Fuchs. “What it comes down to is, ‘What are we going to do?’” Landers was constructed in 1970, making the building 44-years-old
THE JOURNAL | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
this year. According to Fuchs, the rule of thumb is that a building has between 30 and 50 years of good use, so Landers is due for an overhaul. Nevertheless, it remains structurally sound. “That’s a long time for a facility to be operating without major improvements,” said Fuchs. A committee will be formed soon to decide what to do with Landers. They will be looking also at Barnum, Butler and Gentle Halls. Fuchs will be on the committee, as well as representatives from the Physical Plant as well as student representatives. “Trying to build housing without student input, that would be ridiculous,” said Fuchs. “The goal is to get feedback going on.” She hopes to update one floor of Landers and then get input on the improvements before continuing. According to Fuchs, the group will be guided in part by Western’s master plan, which gives some goals and objectives for housing, but won’t be tightly restricted. “It’s a good roadmap for us to at least use as a guide, but I also recognize that we have limitations in terms of what we can do,” said Fuchs. Some of those are fiscal limitations, but there are also challenges in dealing with older buildings as well. For example, Landers was constructed with cinderblocks, which makes full renovations challenging, since those walls are difficult to work with. “This is not a decision that I would take lightly,” said Fuchs. According to Fuchs, students tend to gravitate towards the newer residence halls on campus, Heritage and Ackerman, so it makes sense to shift everyone into those locations. “We went through last year with a lot of empty beds in all our buildings,” said Fuchs. Plans for the following year are made from projections that are based on numbers of applications for housing received each week. Over time, said Sundby, those estimates become clearer, yielding more accurate predictions for the future. “More students leave over the course of the year than come in,” said Sundby. This attrition means that, even by the end of the year, fewer people live in on-campus housing; according to Sundby, that makes it important to start with fuller rather than emptier buildings. The closure of Landers is projected to save Western about $200,000 dollars over the course of this year. “It helps offset any other expenses,” Fuchs said. “We don’t have as much revenue because we don’t have as many people living on campus.”
With enrollment stalled, Landers dorm is closed this year. Landers will be evaluated this year for potential renovation. PHOTO BY SHANNEN BROUNER
CAMPUS BLOTTER
The following information is from the public records of Campus Public Safety. BIKE THEFT At 2:07 p.m. Oct. 20 in Heritage Hall, Public Safety was contacted in reference to a bike theft where a bike was taken from the Heritage/Landers bike rack. At 4:14 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Landers bike rack, Public Safety took a bicycle theft report. The bike was taken from the Heritage/Landers bike rack. At 10 a.m. Oct. 22 at Hamersly Library, Public Safety took a report of a stolen bicycle. The bike was valued at $200. DAMAGED PROPERTY At 2:45 a.m. Oct 22 in Maaske Hall, Public Safety took a report of a broken window. A custodian noticed the broken window that was attributed to high winds earlier that day. SEXUAL HARASSMENT At 10:02 p.m. Oct. 23 in Ackerman Hall, Public Safety was contacted in reference to a possible sexual harassment.
BREAK-IN At 12:33 p.m. Oct. 24 in the Natural Science building, Public Safety was contacted in regards to activity in a professor’s office. The professor reported that someone may have gained access to his office, due to an unknown thermos that was left there, and potentially used his computer. However, computing services determined that no one had logged in, and the investigation concluded that there was no damage or security breach. VEHICLE FIRE At 4:43 p.m. Oct. 24 on Stadium Drive, Public Safety was contacted in regards to a vehicle that had caught fire. The fire was extinguished, with no harm done to anyone. This vehicle has caught fire before due to a heater malfunction. MARIJUANA VIOLATION At 11:17 p.m. Oct. 24 in Heritage Hall, Public Safety was contacted in regards to the odor of marijuana.
CAMPUS LIFE >> ASSAULT:
3
Surviving a victim-blaming culture
DEFINING SEXUAL ASSAULT In attempts to diminish sexual assault, the Obama administration launched their “It’s On Us” campaign in September, aimed at engaging men in prevention measures, effectively responding to assault by increasing transparency in the federal government’s effort to enforce laws. However, campuses like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found students were unsure of what constituted sexual assault. An MIT survey showed 17 percent of female students fit the sexually assaulted description, but only 11 percent checked yes on the survey when asked if they had been. Dukes said victims are not always sure if they have been assaulted. According to Western’s sexual misconduct web page, sexual misconduct is defined as non-consensual sexual contact. Sexual contact includes “touching of any private body part, including, but not limited to genitalia, buttocks, anus or breasts of another or causing such person to touch genitalia, anus, buttocks or breasts of another.” It also includes attempts to have non-consensual sexual contact, the threat of such contact, sexual exploitation, emotional/psychological abuse, sexual harassment and stalking. The webpage categorizes behavior non-consensual if “no consent is freely given, the person is substantially impaired by alcohol or drugs, or the person is otherwise without the physical or mental capacity to give clear consent.” When it comes to consent, Abby’s House supports the “Yes means yes” campaign. “Yes means yes” legislation adopted in states like California, put the focus of sexual consent on mutually agreed-upon sexual activity. Consent is mutual and continuous and requires partners to pay attention to physical and emotional cues as well. Verbal consent should be repeated often, said Onshus-Womble. “Just because you consented one time doesn’t mean you will the next,” she added. “And you have the right to change your mind,” said Jessica Fontaine, another advocate for Abby’s House. Both said students should consent every step of the way whether
it be kissing or having sex. For students who may still be unsure of whether or not they were assaulted, Fontaine said it was simple. “The difference between someone who was raped and someone who wasn’t is that the person who was raped was in the presence of the rapist,” she said. “That’s the only factor.” THE SURVIVORS YOU DON’T HEAR ABOUT When most people hear the word rape, they visualize a woman being assaulted by a man, Doyle Hugmeyer said. But there are other victims we fail to acknowledge. Males can be sexually assaulted, as can persons in same-sex relationships. One in six men are found to have experienced sexual assault before age 18 according to 1in6. org. “A b u s e and assault is linked with asserting power and trying to control power hapANDREA DOYLE pens in varHUGMEYER ious forms,” Assistant Director of Doyle HugAbby’s House meyer said. “You can be assaulted by someone of any gender or any sexual identity.” The reason we don’t hear about male sexual assault is because men are typically viewed as physically stronger and more powerful than women, Doyle Hugmeyer said. “To be sexually assaulted means that the victim is put in the position of being controlled,” which is something we associate more with women, she added. When men report sexual assault it “basically feminizes them,” she said. Similarly, one reason we may not hear about same-sex relationship violence, is due to the “the layer of additional stress and barriers because some people are homophobic,” said Doyle Hugmeyer. Despite stigmas and myths that sexual assault only happens to women, students acknowledge that it can happen to everyone. “I believe that men can and
sometimes are sexually assaulted, be it by men or by women,” said Isaac Golden, Junior Psychology major.” Jenna Beresham, senior ALS major agreed saying, “Anyone of any race, gender, sexuality and so forth can be sexually assaulted.” “I think that there are a lot of men on our campus that share these beliefs in the sense that they want to see change happen,” said Doyle Hugmeyer. SURVIVING IN A VICTIM-BLAMING CULTURE Victim blaming culture refers to an attitude that the survivor is at fault for their assault because of their behavior. Deborah Thompson, executive director of Sable House, an organization in Dallas, serving domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, said, commonly used excuses for assault include: “She shouldn’t have been wearing that low-cut blouse,” “She was out late,” and “She didn’t fight it off.” “I absolutely do not think any girl alive has asked to be assaulted,” said Bridget Conklin, senior English major. Yet, some feel clothing options do play a role. “Sexual assault can be intensified by choice of clothing and is a factor, but if someone intends to sexually assault, it doesn’t matter what is being worn by others,” said Jennifer P., senior. The drug enforcement agency of the Department of Justice lists alcohol as the number one most common used drug in sexual assault Dress attire and alcohol consumption could be reasons why some colleges aim sexual assault education at risk reduction, teaching students how to be safe. Doyle Hugmeyer says while discussions of risk reduction are important in terms of staying conscious of safety, instructing potential rape victims to dress more modest or drink less should not be the only way to address sexual assault. It takes responsibility off the perpetrator, she says, and can be difficult to identify when discussion boarders on blame, ultimately making things worse for survivors. “It’s a hard line to identify and try not to cross,” she said. “On one end it’s important to acknowledge how to stay safe on campus. But
if that’s the strongest method that prevails in our community, we aren’t doing it the right way.” In terms of improving how sexual assault is addressed on campus, “Eliminating the victim-blaming culture is the biggest thing we can do that,” said Fontaine. PUTTING FOCUS ON THE PERPETRATOR Focus should be placed on “not raping,” Doyle Hugmeyer said, and focusing on the offenders. “We get a lot of models of sexual behavior from the media and often times sexuality is tied to power and control,” she said. “So if we were to change the model to reflect different behaviors like getting consent every step of the way, that would be huge in seeing sexual assault diminish.” Most importantly, “If a woman tells you she was sexually assaulted - believe her,” said Doyle Hugmeyer. “That’s a big step in putting the attention on the perpetrator. It means that we are validating the experience.” These conversations have occurred for quite some time, said Doyle Hugmeyer. “I think now is an appropriate time to formalize the conversation and put things into action on campus.” Combating assault with campus-wide conversation A men’s social justice group is in the works for Abby’s House, lead by advocate Kevin Gutierrez, in attempts to start a conversational group, discussing topics related of masculinity and gender norms. “The goal is to create a campus discussion, said Doyle Hugmeyer. “We hope that clubs emerge out of that group that would essentially do educational programming and activism related to meet these issues from a male ally standpoint.” After receiving grants from the WOU foundation, advocates also put together a media campaign, creating sexual violence posters and informational video clips. A phone app will also be available on iTunes in a few weeks, providing campus and community resources and information on what to do if you experience sexual violence. Through Western’s Campus Against Sexual Assault grant (CASA) from the U.S. Department of Justice, Abby’s House is looking into funding a Sexual Assault
Nurse Examiner. Doyle Hugmeyer said they would hire a “SAME” nurse on campus or in Dallas to be available for “safe kits.” When a person is sexually assaulted they are able to seek a safe kit, which includes DNA swabbing, vaginal examination, urine samples and other forensic procedures. “As of right now the closest nurse to do that is the Salem hospital,” Doyle Hugmeyer said, which can be a problem if the student does not have transportation. In creating campaigns and starting discussion groups, the hope of Abby’s House is to create many opportunities for students to seek help. “It’s something every campus should be moving toward,” she said. “Ideally we’d like to have an environment where sexual assault doesn’t happen,” said Dukes. “I generally feel like we are doing a good job, but clearly we can always do a better job.” REPORTING SEXUAL ASSAULT When asked what the first thing a victim should do after being sexually assaulted, Doyle Hugmeyer said, “It’s going to vary by victim, but go to a safe place.” She said this could be the counseling center, or to a member of the CARE team, a friend’s house or even to an Resident Assistant. Abby’s House is also a place where victims can seek help from trained members in regard to referrals for sexual assault or just to come in and talk, Fontaine said. The first step is confiding in a campus resource or someone you trust, Fontaine said. “We can’t have justice for our survivors if we don’t know that it happened to them.” To report a sexual assault or seek help regarding sexual/domestic violence, contact Abby’s House at 503-838-8219, abbyshouse@wou. edu or stop by their location on the bottom floor of the Werner University Center, room 106. To file an official report for criminal action, call Campus Public Safety at 503-838-8481, or the Monmouth Police Department at 503-838-1109. To file a student conduct report, contact the WOU Office of Student Conduct at 503838-8930.
THE JOURNAL | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
SEXUAL ASSAULT
4 MYTH VS. REALITY
>> NIGHT: Common myths about sexual assault courtesy of Abby’s House and Campus Against Sexual Assault.
“They asked for it.” 1. MYTH: REALITY: No person deserves
Remembering survivors
Gage Barnhurstd also came as a supporter of the event. As a man, he also believes he should take responsibility for sexual violence towards women. “It makes me embarrassed,” he said of being associated with the perpetrators of sexual and domestic violence.
Barnhurstd added that a man’s basic instinct is to protect a woman. So “if you have a drive to protect, why not use it?” he said. Take Back the Night ended with a candlelit walk around campus to remember those affected by sexual and domestic
to be sexually assaulted, and no person asks for it or wants it. A person’s clothing is not an indication of their consent.
violence, and to take a stance against it. Students also carried a mattress around in honor of sexual assault victim Emma Sulkowicz, a student at Columbia who felt as though her university’s response of doing nothing to penalize her perpetrator was wrong. Sulkow-
Taking Action: Bystander Intervention
“Most survivors are sex2. MYTH: ually assaulted by strangers.”
The Journal spoke with Green Dot about their mission on campus and how students can become active bystanders to help diffuse high-risk or potentially harmful situations for others. Bystander intervention involves indentifying high-risk situations and acquiring the knowledge, tools and confidence to act. “Confidence holds a lot of people back from acting,” said Stephanie Delker, co-outreach coordinator for Green Dot, a club working to reduce power-based violence. Bystander theory supports the idea that the more bystanders present in high-risk situations, the less likely they are to take action, she said. However, if even one person stands up, it gives others the courage to do the same. According to Green Dot, being an active bystander can take many different forms.
“People often falsely ac3. MYTH: cuse others of sexual assault.”
REALITY: Sexual assaults are vastly underreported. Of reported sexual assaults, the vast majority are factual. Less than 2% of reported sexual assaults are false. It is more common for burglaries/robberies to be falsely reported than sexual assaults.
“Most survivors are 4. MYTH: sexually assaulted in unfamiliar,
dark places and can avoid situations that lead to sexual assault.” REALITY: Most survivors are assaulted in environments they consider to be safe. Statistics show that 50% of sexual assaults occur in or around a person’s home and 50% occur during the day.
“It’s not sexual assault if 5. MYTH: the couple is dating or is mar-
For example, if you are at a party and happen to see someone add any substance to an unattended drink, you could react by “accidentally” spilling the drink. In a similar situation, if you saw a friend who had had too much to drink, you could make sure they get home safely, Delker said. Or if you heard a group of people verbally harassing someone you could tell them to stop. In any high-risk situation you can make a decision to do something, and this action, no matter how large or small is what Green Dot advocates for. Delker explains that being an active bystander can also involve making simple choices about “stepping away from rape culture” and consciously avoiding language and actions that perpetuate rape culture in society. For more tips about how to be an active bystander, view the October edition of Student Health 101, attend Green Dot meetings on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Hamersly Library Room 107, or attend one of Green Dot’s bystander intervention trainings.
YES MEANS YES BY SHANNEN BROUNER PHOTO EDITOR
REALITY: It is estimated that 80-85% of perpetrators are someone the survivor knows. Acquaintance rape by a friend, new acquaintance, or coworker is frequent. Most survivors are assaulted by people they trust.
icz vowed to carry that mattress to each class until her attacker was expelled. Throughout the candlelit walk, students chanted statements such as “Yes means yes, no means no,” and “we are women, we are men, together we fight to take back the night.”
Take Back the Night participants drew attention from other students during the candle light walk around campus with their declarative signs and chants. PHOTOS BY SHANNEN BROUNER
ried.” REALITY: Regardless of the nature of the relationship, if a person does not consent to sexual activity, they are being sexually assaulted.
“Only women are sexu“Someone who was drinking or “If someone doesn’t fight back, “If a person ejaculates/orgasms 6. MYTH: 7. MYTH: 8. MYTH: 9. MYTH: ally assaulted; it is impossible to drunk when sexually assaulted is at least then it was not really sexual assault.” when they are assaulted, then it is not resexually assault a man.” REALITY: People of all genders can be sexually assaulted; perpetrators may be of any gender and can be of any sexual orientation.
THE JOURNAL | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
partially to blame.” REALITY: The perpetrator, not the survivor, is to blame for an assault. Alcohol may make someone incapable of giving consent or protecting themselves, but it is not the cause of the assault.
REALITY: The survivor may be unable to fight back or they can protect themselves from further harm by not fighting back. Just because a survivor does not fight back does not mean they consent to the assault.
ally sexual assault.” REALITY: An orgasm can be a natural biological reaction that someone cannot control. Having an orgasm does not mean that someone “enjoyed” what their body just experienced, or that they wanted it.
SEXUAL ASSAULT
NO NO
5
A Survivor’s Story
WESTERN RESOURCES COMPILED BY ALLISON OPSON CLEMENT NEWS EDITOR
The following is one woman’s account of sexual assault and the aftermath. Every effort has been made to ensure anonymity. No other sources were consulted. THE ATTACK He had been her friend for almost three years at the time. They had had a fight a couple of weeks earlier and he asked her to come over so they could discuss it. She agreed, because she was trying not to lose a friend. He initiated the attack around 11 p.m. The methods he used were designed to keep her from remembering, she said. However, they didn’t work on her, and memory returned shortly after the assault. She later recalled the rape including, such as looking at the clock on the wall at 1, 3, and 7 a.m. That day, she went about her plans, and attempted to push aside the memories. It was her best friend who encouraged her to call her parents, and to report the assault.
and ask what they should say. She told them that she wanted them to say the truth, to remain impartial. At least one of these individuals later confessed personally to having gotten coaching from the accused about what they should say and how to answer questions. A communication drop was initiated between herself and her attacker; she opted not to take out a restraining order, because they had mutual friends, and she wanted the freedom to be around them. Despite the prohibition against third-party contact, he continued to use their mutual friends to attempt to contact her. If 51 percent of the board sides with the accused, she said, then they win. However, if one member abstains, splitting the vote to 50-50, the case is automatically dismissed. She found out the results in spring term. Her case was dropped. The police case was also dropped, because the district attorney decided that there was no evidence to pursue a trial. There was no potential evidence, such as semen samples. In the end, it came down to a matter of he-said, shesaid.
MEANS
THE SYSTEM She reported the incident to Campus Public Safety, and decided to press charges both through the school and through the Monmouth Police Department. During the investigations, she said she felt attacked, as if no one believed her. The police also interrogated the person she accused. Through the school’s system, she was able to go before a judicial board, which handles issues of misconduct according to the code of student behaviors. The accused was in the room (a dividing wall was used to screen each other from view) and presented his side of the story. She wanted to hear his justification. Character witnesses were presented, individuals who were intended to be the neutral party, having heard both sides of the story. These people were supposed to be unbiased, and to refrain from contact with either victim or accused, in order to not be influenced. However, they did contact her
THE AFTERMATH With all charges dropped, there has been no sense of resolution for her. Once the charges were dropped, the assistant went back to his normal life. All accusations were cleared from his record, and he graduated that year. She said it was incredibly difficult to see him graduate with a smug smile on his face. After the attack, she said several of her friends told her that the same individual attacked them. They didn’t report it, but they wanted to make sure she knew she wasn’t alone, that she wasn’t the
only target. The date of her attack, in winter term, isn’t just another day on the calendar, she said, but a reminder. It will take time before it doesn’t feel as bad. Because of the methods her attacker used, she cannot use normal methods in counseling. Relaxation techniques and meditation always brings the assault to the front of
THE REFLECTION Things like this can and do happen at Western, to anyone, she said. It is important to get people to understand that a sexual assault could happen to them, and that they need to know about resources available to them. She recommends trusting a gut feeling. If something seems off, trust that intuition and get away.
Things like this can and do happen at Western, to anyone, she said. It is important to get people to understand that a sexual assault could happen to them, and that they need to know about resources available to them. her mind, causing her to relieve it. This has slowed her healing process and made it more difficult. However, she is doing better than she was over a year and a half ago. THE SUPPORT Abby’s House was a great resource for her, she said. They offer a safe room, a hiding space where a survivor can hide. They offer someone to talk to, but don’t push. The Student Health and Counseling Center also provides good support and help. Victim awareness week, she said, is an irritating reminder; she said it is difficult to walk around the corner and suddenly face a stark reminder of a terrible event in her life. She feels that this bombarding is not helpful for survivors, especially who don’t want to be public about their stories. She said that people like her may feel that these put too much pressure on them, a focus she doesn’t want.
In the school’s judicial process, she recommends keeping an eye on character witnesses, to keep them from talking to anyone about it. Coaching witnesses makes the process unequal, she said. The entire system, she said, needs to keep from making an upset victim feel like they are being attacked and targeted worse. She recalls telling her counselor that she didn’t trust anyone because no one believed her. She said that a lot of people here at Western are afraid to report sexual assaults, in part because they don’t want to feel singled out for interrogation. She feels that it is important to report, even if no punishment comes of it, because it helps the victim to get it off their shoulders if they talk about it. She said that a victim can either walk away pretending nothing happened, or speak up and know that they have done something about what happened to them.
Anonymous reports can be submitted online to student affairs. Anyone can submit even if they are not a victim of sexual misconduct. http://www.wou.edu/student/ sexual_misconduct_anonymous_ report.php
What are on-campus resources for students? These resources are available on the WOU campus and are available to help students regardless of where the sexual misconduct happened. WOU Counseling Services (Student Health & Counseling Center): 503-838-8313 Campus Public Safety: 503-838-8481 503-838-9000 (Emergency) Vice President of Student Affairs Office: 503-838-8221 Abby’s House: 503-838-8219 What community resources available for students? These resources are available 24 hours a day. Resources marked with an asterisk (*) will provide crisis intervention services. *Emergency Services 9-1-1 *Mid-Valley Women’s Crisis Services 503-399-7722 or 1-866-399-7722 *SABLE House (Dallas) 503-623-4033 or 1-866-305-303 Monmouth Police 503-838-1109 Independence Police 503-838-1214 For more information, please call the Vice President of Student Affairs office at 503-838-8221 or the Student Health & Counseling Center at 503-838-8313. CARDV in Corvallis is useful http://cardv.org/ For male survivors: 1in6.org and malesurvivor.org
THE JOURNAL | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
ENTERTAINMENT
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MOVIE REVIEW: The Best of Me
3 OUT OF 4 PAWS
If you liked the Notebook, you’ll love Nicholas Sparks’s newest BY HAUNANI TOMAS MANAGING EDITOR
Characters Dawson and Amanda reunite after two decades apart and reminisce over a candlelit dinner.
My friends and I decided to watch “The Best of Me” twenty minutes before show time on a Friday night. In other words, there was no time for some pre-movie plot research and I did not read the Nicholas Sparks’ novel. I was unprepared and completely blindsided for assuming this movie would be a romantic tale comparable to other cliché chick flicks like “Titanic” and “The Notebook.” But, if you liked those movies even the slightest bit, you’ll be head over heels for this heartbreaker. Side note: I am not one to cry in movies or grovel at the cuteness of couples but this movie was an isolated incident. Dawson Cole (James Marsden) and Amanda Collier (Michelle Monaghan) re-
turn to their hometown in Louisiana after receiving news about the passing of their mutual friend, Tuck. Tuck’s will requests the two to fulfill his final wishes together: pack up his belongings and spread his ashes at his cabin. Key word: together. Flashback to a high school Dawson (Luke Bracey) running away from home, after refusing to help his family with a drug deal, to meet a young southern belle named Amanda (Liana Liberato) for a first date. Dawson wanders aimlessly to find a place to sleep for the night. He comes across a garage and falls asleep in a sweet classic car. Tuck finds Dawson the next morning, recognizes that he is the only good Cole in the
PHOTOS COURTESY OF COLLIDER.COM
family and takes him in without hesitation. The Cole family, notorious for their drug and criminal activity, is the polar opposite of the Colliers: a Kentucky Derby-esque pedigree. Mr. Collier attempts to bribe Dawson into leaving his daughter. Although we understand Mr. Collier’s desire for his pride and joy to be unaffiliated with the white trash clan that is the Coles, Dawson is an extraordinary exception. Although they hail from opposite sides of the tracks, Amanda and Dawson are perfect for each other in the way that Mondays are for football and chips are for salsa. They are the type of couple that hopeless romantics
regard as their (high) relationship goals. They literally bring out the best in each other. Obviously, something happens that prohibits this exemplary high school sweetheart love, which will not be discussed. Fast forward 21 years: while spreading Tuck’s ashes at his cabin, the old couple realize Tuck’s tacit final wish is to bring Amanda and Dawson back together despite their prolonged disconnect of two decades. “The Best of Me” reminds us of the depth of a first love, the desire that arises when it is disallowed and the beauty of feelings that ascend decades.
A Touch of the Supernatural:
Ghost Hunter Ross Allison visits campus to educate students about the supernatural BY STEPHANIE VILLALOBOS FREELANCER Students got a new take on Halloween, and a taste of the supernatural, as they wandered down the halls of Todd and Campbell Hall in search of ghosts. Professional ghost hunter Ross Allison visited Western Tuesday night and presented on what it means to hunt the supernatural to over 100 students. Allison gave students a brief history on ghosts, and paranormal activity, shared his experiences of work he performs on a daily basis. After his speech, Allison took students through Todd Hall, Campbell Hall and The
Cottage in a ghost hunt, which provided students a hands-on experience of what he does for a living. According to Allison, he is the only full time ghost hunter in the Pacific Northwest, and is the founder of A.G.H.O.S.T. (Advanced Ghost Hunters of Seattle-Tacoma). He teaches students Ghostology 101 at the University of Washington and Tacoma Community College. Examining the unknown has allowed Allison to travel around the world and be featured on several television programs including The Learning Channel’s “America”,
MTV, CMT, CNN, A&E, The Discovery Channel and many more. He is planning to write several books and Western will be featured in one of them. “I have always been curious about this kind of stuff and I believe there is something out there; people just need to keep an open mind,” Allison said. He said his main focus and goal while being a ghost hunter is to always be honest and follow “PDP” (Passion, Dedication, Patience). He also allowed students to use his equipment, which included EVP Recorders
(Electronic Voice Phenomena). This type of equipment detects human - sounding voices from any unknown source. Throughout the night, Allison gave students the opportunity to interact with the unknown and ask questions. “I really enjoyed being part of the ghost hunt, and getting to try something I would’ve never thought about doing,” said first yearDavid Hoover. “There was definitely something interesting here at Western, and I would love to come back with my team and take a better look.” Allison said.
COMIC CORNER MY ROOMMATE IS A DINOSAUR BY ANONYMOUS
THE JOURNAL | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
SPORTS
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Volleyball serves up first conference win BY RACHEL SHELLEY AND CHIANNA TOLTON SPORTS EDITOR AND FREELANCER
“We finally put everything together to put ourselves on top,” Alisha Bettinson Redshirt freshman outside hitter Western Oregon University Volleyball had their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) win of the season in Lacey, Wash. against Saint Martin’s University Saturday Oct. 25, where they finished 3-1 (2512, 25-19, 21-25, 25-21) in the match. Leading the team offensively was redshirt freshman outside hitter Alisha Bettinson, who added 10 kills and five aces for the Wolves. “We’ve been really close in a lot of matches this year,” said Bettinson. “We finally put everything together to put ourselves on top.” Senior setter Jordin Ramos added a team-high 24 assists while freshman setter Kiana Cash dished out 18 for the Wolves. Senior opposite hitter Hannah Deede and redshirt freshman middle blocker Sydney
Blankenship grabbed nine kills and a teamhigh four blocks each. Four Western players added doubledigit digs led by sophomore outside hitter Christie Colasurdo with a match-high 26. Western started off on a 7-2 run in the first set followed by a 6-3 run by Saint Martin’s to bring the score within two, 10-8. Bettinson got her third service ace of the first set to bring the Wolves on a 6-1 run, bringing the score to 16-10. The Wolves scored an unanswered five points before closing the opening set with a 4-1 run. The second set saw an early 10-3 lead by the Wolves where they were able to keep their momentum with a 7-1 run and finishing the set 25-19. The third set was won by Saint Martin’s, where the Saint’s scored the final seven points after being behind to earn the 25-21 victory. The fourth set opened up with the Wolves scoring the first five points. Ramos began the 6-2 lead with a kill. The score was tied at 20-20 after the Saint’s made a run but the Wolves were able to finish the set and the match with 5-1 run, earning the Wolves their first GNAC conference win. “Error free is carefree,” said senior outside hitter Sam Moore. “We really took that into the match and the scores showed it.” Moore had eight kills, three blocks and an ace contributing to Saturday night’s success. The Wolves welcome University of Alaska to Monmouth Saturday, Nov. 1 where play will start at 7p.m.
her second goal of the season Soccer continues road trip game-winner, at 86:36 for a 3-2 victory. Senior goal keeper Amanda Rose Johnto end regular season play son had a game-high seven saves in her fifth BY RACHEL SHELLEY SPORTS EDITOR Wolves’ soccer started off their four game road trip to end their season with a win over Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) 3-2 on Oct. 23 in Nampa, Idaho. The Crusaders led 1-0 at halftime from a goal in the 28th minute. They had five more shots than Western did in the first half, 12-5. With just eight minutes into the second half senior midfielder JoEllen DeLeon scored her first goal of the season off a combo assist to tie the game 1-1. Junior midfielder/forward Makana Pundyke scored after an assist by DeLeon at 65:37 for a 2-1 Wolves lead. This was her fourth team-leading goal of the season. The Crusaders answered back with an equalizer but thirty-three seconds later sophomore forward Savannah Bogan nailed the
win of the season. NNU finished the game with an advantage in shots, 19-14 and shots on goal, 10-8. NNU had five saves and committed 12 fouls to Western’s eight. Continuing on their road trip, the Wolves visited the second-best team in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), Montana State Billings (MSUB), where they fell 1-0. The Wolves finished the match with just three shots and registered no shots on goal. MSUB finished with 11 shots with seven shots on goal. The only score came from a Yellowjacket in the 28th minute. Johnson had six saves for Western through the defensive battle. Western concluded their regular season this weekend with a game against Seattle Pacific University in Washington on Oct. 30 and then continues against Saint Martin’s University on Nov. 1.
FREELANCERS WANTED THE JOURNAL wants you! THE JOURNAL is seeking more freelancers to write for every section: news, entertainment, campus life and sports. If interested, contact Laura Knudson at journaleditor@wou.edu.
CAMPUS BRIEFS BLOOD DRIVE
The Health and Counseling Center is sponsoring a blood drive at 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 5 to Thursday, Nov. 6 in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center. To make an appointment visit redcrossblood.org/ make-donation. You will need to type “WOU” as the sponsor code and create a profile. For more information call 503-8388772.
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES NIGHT
The Psychology Department will host Behavioral Sciences Night, Wednesday, Nov. 5 from 5 – 7 p.m. on campus.
NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES SERIES
David Lewis, a Tribal Historian and Manager of the Cultural Exhibits and Archives Program, will be presenting activities from 5:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5 in Room 237 of Bellamy Hall. The activities are part of a Native American Politics and Policy course, but the community is welcome to attend. For more information call 503-8388544.
CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM
Session one of the customer service training program will be offered to university staff from 2 – 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, in the Columbia Room of the Werner Univer-
sity Center. The 3 hour sessions provide up-todate customer service and communication training to aid in daily contact with students and co-workers. Sessions are limited to 20 participants each. For more information, call 503-838-8552 or visit wou.edu/admin/hr/ hrtrainingcalendar2.php.
FALL PREVIEW DAY
Fall preview day for prospective students and families will take place from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 in the Werner University Center. Program activities will include an academic department/student services fair, campus and residence hall tours, information sessions and lunch in Valsetz Dining Hall.
THE JOURNAL | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
SPORTS
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Center Landon Lydig (55) and the offensive line set up for another down. PHOTO BY NEIL GRAVATT
Football shows offensive and defensive strength in victory against Simon Fraser BY JACOB HANSEN FREELANCER With back to back touchdowns thrown to redshirt freshman wide receiver Paul Revis in the fourth quarter, the Wolves were able to secure their second Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) win against the Clan of Simon Fraser University, 2716 during homecoming week Oct. 25. Western Oregon (4-4, 2-1 GNAC) struck first and fast against Simon Fraser (2-6, 2-2) during the Wolves homecoming game. Senior quarterback Ryan Bergman started off the game with a 35-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Tyrell Williams. Bergman completed 18-of-42 passes for 332 yards on the day and four touchdowns. Williams and Revis combined for 286 yards and three touchdowns on the day, making their presence known throughout the GNAC. “It makes my job a whole lot easier when you have a dynamic player to throw to, yet alone two of them to throw to,” said Bergman. Paul Revis was named the GNAC’s offensive player of the week for the first time in his career. He leads the Wolves and GNAC with 902 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Revis is ranked third in Division II for all-purpose yards averaging 205.1 yards per game. “It’s a great honor to be acknowledged by the league and hope to earn
many more in my future,” said Revis. It was the Wolves’ defense that forced the Clan to field goals instead of touchdowns when really gave Western the upper hand. Redshirt sophomore defensive back Danny Hankins led the Wolves defense with seven solo tackles and an interception. The defense allowed only one pass to be thrown over their head for 51 yards in the second quarter, which would be the last score before the half. The Wolves came out of the half strong, finishing a drive with a oneyard touchdown pass from Bergman to junior wide receiver James DePew, putting the Wolves up 14-10. The Clan answered back with two drives that would both result in field goals, giving them the two point advantage at the beginning of the fourth. Bergman and Revis answered again when they connected for a 94yard drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass to put the Wolves up 21-16. A 54-yard touchdown pass from Bergman to Revis would wrap up this homecoming victory for the Wolves. The Wolves travel to Glendora California to play the No. 25-ranked Azusa Pacific University Saturday, Nov. 1. “Whoever wins this game will be the conference champs,” said head coach Arne Ferguson.
THE JOURNAL | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014