Working with Survivors of Sexual Assault on College Campuses

Presenters:

• Lisa Ingarfield, Associate Director, The Phoenix Center at Auraria

About the topic

Sexual assault is an all too common experience of college students in the United States. Yet it is an often overlooked issue on campus and survivors remain silenced on many campuses across the country. When a sunrivor does come forward, often the focus is on what the survivor could have done to prevent the assault versus shifting the focus to the predator of the crime and asking "why would he/she do that?" This session will give an overview of sexual assault, problematize the way educators often approach sexual assault prevention, and dispel many myths associated with it. The session will also illustrate to participants ways in which being a survivor on a college campus can present unique challenges. The audience will have the opportunity to brainstorm ways in which their campus can more effectively work both proactively and reactively to address sexual assault and provide a seamless provision of support for survivors.