Student groups are joining efforts to raise sexual-assault awareness through events in the upcoming week, including discussions about available resources at Boston University and what may be lacking.
The awareness week had already been planned before a female visitor to Warren Towers reported she was sexually assaulted Sunday morning, said Alex Alderfer, president of Every Person Counts, formerly the Women’s Center, which is hosting the awareness week with the Student Union.
“This girl [at Warren] had the initiative to call the police and to get the word out,” said Alderfer, a College of Arts and Sciences junior. “For my personal thing, it’s [important] that people know what to do when that happens.”
Although she said the alleged assault is getting the attention it should from the BU community, Alderfer said many other incidents happen on campus that go unreported because students are scared to come forward about being assaulted if they had been drinking, or they do not know where to find helpful resources.
Student Union President Adil Yunis said the Union will discuss what BU’s response should be to students who have been assaulted while drinking.
“What we’re looking into the most is . . . to promote what resources are available to sexual-assault victims on campus,” he said. “Advertising is always a problem on campus. We want to see how we can promote those resources.”
Next week’s events will be specific to what resources are or are not available on campus, as well as educational demonstrations and discussions, Alderfer said.
A panel on Wednesday will discuss being assaulted under the influence in a candid way with key administrators and a female student from the women’s studies program, Yunis said.
“I hope people attend and students are learning something new and learning about resources available at BU,” said Union Secretary Elena Quattrone. “We’re trying to spread the word and keep talking about it.”
Union Vice President John Grant said the Union has the impression that sexual-assault policies do not live up to what students want them to be. He said the discussion offers the opportunity to let the administration hear students’ concerns.
“We just want to make sure students can speak with each other and administrators,” he said. “Students can get their thoughts out there about whether they feel there are certain policies on campus that are not beneficial.”
Throughout the week, the Howard Thurman Center will host a photo exhibit displaying the faces of survivors of sexual assault and rape.
Yunis said the Union will continue to address sexual assault for the rest of the year at Town Hall Meetings and cooperative efforts with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.
“We’re looking at what resources currently exist at BU and what resources we can add,” Yunis said.
Alderfer said she hopes the administration will consider creating a card with phone numbers for sexual-assault resources at and outside BU. Another way to raise awareness is to address sexual assault at freshman orientation, she said.
Every Person Counts is also discussing the possibility of creating a resource center to address sexual-assault concerns and offer a place for victims to talk about their experiences. The possibility of creating this type of a crisis center has been discussed at meetings with Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore for several months.
With only about 20 female students attending Every Person Counts meetings, the administration is saying it needs to see a stronger student push for a support center to consider it, Alderfer said.
“We need school support from students,” Alderfer said. “The administration does not see that support. I can’t do anything with the administration to advocate for a center if we don’t have that support.”
Angela Marie Latona and Rachel Rose-Sandow contributed reporting for this article.
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