1. brought to you by the WOU Safe Zone Committee

2.  Name  Major  Year in School  Why are you here (what do you want to get from this session)?

3.  THEO & CARLI!

4. The Western Oregon University Safe Zone program seeks to form a network of students, faculty and staff committed and trained to provide safe, non-judgmental and supportive contacts for all WOU community members regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) issues. It is symbolic of a willingness and a commitment to provide an atmosphere of unqualified acceptance and assistance

5.  Affects the college population as a whole  ¼ college aged women  1/33 men in their lifetime  LGBTQ-identified students can have even more social & treatment barriers than non LGBTQ identified survivors of domestic and sexual violence  Educating ourselves = better help and assistance for our friends, loved ones, ourselves

6.  What is sexual violence?  Power & control  What does this issue look like?  Special considerations/conditions faced by the LGBTQ community  Supporting LGBTQ survivors  How can you help?

7. 1. Ask questions! But do so respectfully 2. Remember we don’t all share the same experiences-don’t generalize for everyone, and respect that we all have different view points.

8.  Same sex sexual assault is motivated by homosexual attraction  Queer people are more likely to become abusers or perpetrators of sexual violence or relationship violence  Queer people are never abusive towards their partners

9.  Members of the LGBTQ community may experience:  Higher rates of sexual harassment in academic settings  Increased rates of sexual harassment in school correlates to increased rates of suicide attempts in LGBTQ youth (Fineran, 2002) More than 50% of those that experience harassment/violence attempt suicide (Grant, J.M. et al, 2011)  More likely to experience sexual assault, sexual harassment, physical assault and stalking compared to other groups (Dunbar, 2006) Often as a hate-crime, when compared to other groups targeted for hate crimes

10.  Respondents who identified as transgender in grades K-12 experience:  78% harassment  35% physical assault  12% sexual violence  Rates increase for American Indian, Multiracial, Asian and Black respondents

11. Feeling guilty/like they “were asking for it” Not being taken seriously or having their experience minimized Not having their experience labeled as sexual assault or rape Having their experience sensationalized. Being blamed for the assault Not being understood or being blamed if it happened in an BDSM environment Mistakenly being perceived as the perpetrator

12.  Not being out to family/friends/classmates  Also, not wanting to out attacker/perpetrator  Small community (being divisive/limit support)  Providers/Parents/Support people not understanding same-sex assault  Financial issues  Being treated in a homophobic manner by the police, hospital, rape crisis center and others

13.  Having to have explain how the assault happened in more detail than one would as a survivor of opposite-sex assault  Queer survivors may be apprehensive to report and fear being ignored and/or rejected as overly sensitive due the stereotype that they are “promiscuous” and invited the assault upon themselves.

14.  Being treated in a homophobic manner by the police, hospital, rape crisis center and others  Having to have explain how the assault happened in more detail than one would as a survivor of opposite-sex assault  Queer survivors may be apprehensive to report and fear being ignored and/or rejected as overly sensitive due the stereotype that they are “promiscuous” and invited the assault upon themselves.

15.  SV is used as a weapon against people who identify in the LGBTQ community  Cultural factors like homophobia  Power & control  Definitions were problematic (old vs new)  VAWA updates  LGBTQ  Native American/Trafficking

16. Friends/Loved ones:  Changes in mood  Changes in hygiene/dress  Withdrawl from friends/family Abuser:  Limiting access to or controlling technology  Controlling behavior  Who they see  What they do  Where they work/if they work

17.  Listen, believe them  say this!  Give power back  Allow survivor to make choices  Honor those choices  Know appropriate resources  Some resources are more LGBTQ friendly than others  Ask before touching them/trying to give them a hug/fixing their clothing/etc.

18.  Bradley Angle  LGBTQ Specific resources and services  Classes for survivors and their partners  www.bradleyangle.org  24 hour crisis line: (503) 281-2442  National Sexual Violence Resource Center  www.nsvrc.org  Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project  www.gmdvp.org

19.  WOU Student Health & Counseling Center  Medical, Counseling and Wellness Resources  www.wou.edu/student/health  (503) 838-8313  Students in crisis can be seen ASAP  Campus Public Safety  Abby’s House  OCADSV  Crime Victim’s Compensation Program  WOU Green Dot  www.wou.edu/greendot