Salve Regina Counseling Center Opens Talk About Sexual Assault

By: Timothy Hanrahan
Posted In: News

NEWPORT, R.I.- Sexual assault is a traumatizing and paralyzing experience in a woman’s life. Getting through each day, for many victims, can be a milestone. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 20 to 25 percent of college women have either been a victim of sexual assault or have been a victim of an attempted assault. College women are four times as likely to be a victim of sexual assault than other women, according to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Most men wouldn’t think twice about taking a run along the beach after dark or walking alone to their car; however, many women are constantly on guard and aware of any potential dangers that lurk in the shadows, making this issue a top priority.

Although these statistics are abysmal and shocking, steps can be taken in preventing sexual assault and other violent crimes against women. “Safety is paramount, never go anywhere alone at night and always stick to the lights,” said Elizabeth Minifie, Director of Counseling Services at Salve Regina University and licensed independent clinical social worker. “Always have a buddy when running and have your keys ready when you get to your car so that you don’t drop them, making yourself vulnerable to attack.”

Not only should women be cognizant of their immediate surroundings, they should also be careful as to who they choose to associate themselves with. “Drug and alcohol use play a significant role when it comes to sexual assault,” Minifie said. In a study of 119 college campuses, one in 20 women reported that they experienced sexual assault in college since the beginning of the academic school year. Seventy-five percent of those victims were so heavily intoxicated that they were unable to refuse or give consent to sexual activity, according to a 2004 Harvard School of Public Health Alcohol Study.

The burden of preventing crimes against women do not rest solely on women’s shoulders; men can play a significant role in curbing violence against women by educating themselves about the issue. According to Mencanstoprape.org, an organization dedicated towards educating men about sexual violence, traditional male gender role stereotypes can be equally as damaging to men as female gender role stereotypes are to women; therefore, men should define their own manhood, become positive role models, and resist pop culture depictions of typical male behavior. Men should watch for language that is demeaning towards women from other men as such words and phrases insinuate that women are less than human. Men should also speak up and assert their disapproval of such language whenever confronted with a situation that is potentially harmful to women.

Despite employing countermeasures against sexual assault, such crimes do and will continue to occur. While crimes against women are unfortunately common on university campuses, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Salve Regina University’s Counseling Center is fully staffed with counselors specifically trained to handle such crises. “We are very well prepared, willing, and ready to help a victim in need of counseling in the aftermath of an assault,” Minifie said. “Students should always be aware that anything said between a counselor and a student is strictly confidential.”