WASHINGTON — Twenty percent of young women who attended college during the past four years say they were sexually assaulted, according to a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll.
American University has resources to help the students become better aware of their surroundings and prevent further cases.
Gail Short Hanson, vice president of campus life at AU, said in a statement to the Post:
“We want all students to know about available support, to feel comfortable seeking help, and to understand how to report. We have made progress in ensuring that students know where to go to report and get help. In our recent campus climate survey, 92 percent of undergraduates indicated they strongly agreed or agreed that ‘If a friend or I were sexually assaulted, I would know where to go to get help.’ We’ve substantially invested in additional education, prevention and response, and are committed to assisting victims through the reporting process and in their recovery.”
The department of Public Safety at American University recently released an app called “Rave Guardian.” The app sends text alerts from the police on campus, as well as the D.C police, if anything were to happen.
The campus also has alerts via email and texts set in place. Audrey Schreiber, a rising senior at AU, had never heard of the app, and Spencer Cox, student at AU, knew of its basic functions but had not downloaded it yet.
In the bathroom stalls, these posters provide further information for sexual assault “survivors.” Self-defense classes are available to students through the campus police department. “A significant number take the classes,” said Jeffrey Madison, director of technology services at the School of Communication and a liaison with public safety.
Public safety staffers ride through campus and patrol on foot; blue emergency phone boxes set up throughout the Northwest Washington campus as well. Sexual assault awareness posters are on bathroom stalls. And OASIS, an new service available to students, offers free and confidential support for anyone impacted by sexual violence, which includes sexual assault, dating or domestic violence and stalking.
During her sophomore year, minutes before fall finals began, a lockdown was initiated on campus, Schreiber remembered.
“There were so many cops and news people,” Cox added. The lockdown was caused when an off-duty police officer was riding the AU shuttle with his gun visible. Alerts went out to the AU community to shelter in place while police searched for the person. No shots were fired; the officer was visiting someone he knew.
In general, the public safety police respond quickly and have a “good relationship with DC police,” said Madison. The police are “real mellow, real cool” when dealing with hard-hitting issues, such as outside threats on campus, he said. When there are thefts, police are able to review video footage and begin investigations quickly.
The Eagle, the student newspaper and website, has reported on sexual assault incidents and recently reported that sexual-assault prevention training will be part of new undergraduate programming.