In an email sent out by Colleen Dunne-Cascio (Title IX Coordinator), Eastern Oregon University (EOU) students were informed of ways that they can show their support for Sexual Assault Awareness Month or SAAM. SAAM, observed in April, is an annual, month long recognition and education opportunity for how to prevent sexual violence. EOU students are given resources in the email, which will be outlined at the end of this article, along with the numbers of helplines that are available. EOU has a Privileged Campus Advocate that is available to help and guide students in the appropriate direction for their specific situation, Another resource for students is EOU’s Title IX Coordinator, Colleen Dunne-Cascio, who can also give guidance to students, and point them in the best direction for their situation. The Privileged Campus Advocates and Colleen’s information can be found at the bottom of the article.
On April 28th, the EOU population can show their support for SAAM by participating in Denim Day and using the hashtag #DenimDay2021 and tagging @eou_pca on social media.
Some facts about Sexual Assault in the United States from NSVRC outlined in the email:
● Nearly 1 in 5 women in the United States have experienced rape or attempted rape sometime in their lives, and 1 in 67 American men have experienced rape or attempted rape.
● Victims of sexual assault often experience short-term consequences including guilt, shame, fear, numbness, shock, and feelings of isolation. Victims may also experience long-term health risks and behaviors such as PTSD, eating disorders, depression, pregnancy, and STIs.
● The majority of sexual assaults, an estimated 63%, are never reported to the police. Despite misconceptions, the prevalence of false reporting for sexual assault crimes is low—between 2-6%.
Some tags that you can use to find more information and show support on Instagram are: @eou_pca, #SAAM 2021, #DenimDay2021, #ItsOnUs, #EndRapeOnCampus and #EOU
Available Student Resources:
Taylor Tibbetts
Privileged Campus Advocate
Advocate@eou.edu
541.962.3381
www.unioncountysfs.org
Colleen Dunne-Cascio
Title IX Coordinator
TitleIX@eou.edu
541.962.3476
www.eou.edu/TitleIX
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
More information on Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Denim Day can be found at: http://www.nsvrc.org/saam
