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Rape and other Sexual Violence Prevention

Our Philosophy

In order to address complex behaviors with multiple causes, such as rape and other sexual violence, we have to address many factors, including:

• Individual attitudes and behaviors
• Group attitudes and behaviors
• Institutional cultures, rules and regulations
• Community factors
• Public policy

Background Information

While sexual assault primarily affects young women, they are not the only targets. Men (estimated 2-10%), individuals with disabilities, members of cultural and religious minority groups, and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered individuals also experience sexual and other violent assaults and face increased barriers to reporting their victimization.

National statistics have estimated that one-in-four college women are sexually assaulted. Even though many institutions officially report zero sexual assault crimes each year; sexual assault is known to be an underreported crime. Studies have consistently shown that most perpetrators are friends, acquaintances, or someone known to the victim.

Because of the known prevalence of sexual violence among college students, it is essential that we establish a comprehensive rape and other violence prevention program. In order to build a campus wide effort the following principles will be utilized:

• Work to change campus norms that might contribute to the acceptability of acquaintance rape
• Work to challenge rape-myths
• Provide comprehensive services for victims of sexual violence
• Use a variety of approaches to reach as many students as possible with education and services
• Reduce high risk student drinking
• Involve stakeholders from the entire campus community
• Work with female and male students, in gender specific and mixed groups, to educate peers about rape and sexual assault prevention
• Tailor our efforts to the evolving needs of UB students

Opportunities for Students

There is no single thing that any one of us can do to prevent rape and sexual assault, but by each of us taking a small step we can bring about a big change.

Getting involved is the best way possible to be a part of a massive social change effort to make our campus safer! We need every student at UB to be a part of this movement. Learn ways that you can make a difference:

• Small steps you can do
• Student Violence Prevention Groups are for men and women students at UB working together to end sexual violence. Get involved with one or both of our groups today!
  • The Men's Group - The Men's Group provides training, presentations, and awareness raising events with a focus on men as allies in preventing sexual violence.
  • The Student Survivor Advocacy Alliance - The Alliance unites survivors of sexual assault with allies at UB to take a stand against rape, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.

UB Resources

Workshops

Wellness Education Services offers workshops for students, including 'Relationship Jeopardy', 'Gender Matters' and 'How to Help a Sexual Assault Survivor'. Bring a workshop to your class or student group! Workshop Request Form

The more individuals are informed and involved‚ the closer we can come to a violence free campus. Each of our programs is provided by the Violence Prevention Specialist &/or highly trained Student Educators (Men's Group or Alliance)

Faculty Guide

Finding a way to integrate violence prevention into your course curriculum or lesson plans this semester just got easier with this handy toolkit: PDF (155KB) | Word (73KB)

• Counseling Services - Coercion, Rape, and Surviving
• Student Health Services - Women's Health Clinic: Emergency contraception
• University Police - State University of New York at Buffalo Response to Victims of Campus Sexual Assault, Staff Protocol and Proxy Reporting
• Campus services and resources - UB Violence Prevention Team

UB Partnerships for Violence Prevention

Crisis Services’ Advocate Program is made up of people who extend understanding and support to survivors of sexual assault. A 24-hour hotline is available at 716.834.3131. Call anytime day or night for live support, or learn more at http://www.crisisservices.org

Other Resources

• Men Can Stop Rape - empowers male youth and the institutions that serve them to work as allies with women in preventing rape and other forms of men's violence. Through awareness-to-action education and community organizing, we promote gender equity and build men's capacity to be strong without being violent.
• The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE, as well as an online hotline . Inside, you'll find statistics, counseling resources, prevention tips, news and more.
• Sexual Assault - on the federal government's site for women's health information.
• Emergency contraception - on the federal government's site for women's health information.

Campus Violence White Paper

A position paper approved by the American College Health Association, on February 5, 2005. This document discusses the scope of the problem, consequences of campus violence, approaches to campus violence prevention, recommendations for legal mandates and policies, and resources. A PDF of the document is available: PDF (135KB)