SAVP works to prevent sexual violence on campus

Jen Dixon Staff Writer

Since receiving a grant in 2003 from the Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women, Vassar College Security has been developing a Sexual Assault Violence Prevention Program (SAVP). As a central part of the program, faculty and house advisors volunteer to be members of the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). The team, along with Security officers, receive training, works in the counseling office, and works as head of the prevention program.

This training was in addition to the annual training that already required a victim centered approach. The new training regimen codified the policy of putting victims in control and informing them of their options every step of the way during the process of responding.

The protocol of the program is based on this kind of victim-centered approach. “The whole idea is that the victim is in charge of their own fate,” said Director of Security Don Marsala.

The victim is kept informed throughout the entire process of addressing the assault, and are able at all times to decide what action is taken. When a victim calls the Campus Response Center to report a sexual assault, they are first asked if they are safe. They are then told about the resources available to them on campus—CARES, counseling, or a member of the SART team who is kept on call. In addition, the victim has the option of calling the police. “I think the mentality of the officers was probably different before this training,” said Kim Squillace, the main SAVP contact in Security. “We changed that to ‘let me listen to what the victim is saying.’ Maybe all they want right now is to feel safe.”

If the the victim knows who the perpetrator is the victim is allowed to decide how they want to proceed in terms of notifying the police. If the perpetrator is a stranger, however, it is Security’s policy to talk to the police out of concern for the safety of the entire campus.

Similarly, if a weapon is involved in the assault, regardless of whether the attacker is known or unknown to the victim, Security will respond by contacting the police.

While a victim-centered approach has always been important for Security responses to sexual assault, the training allowed by last year’s grant has helped to articulate these policies. Town of Poughkeepsie Police are aware of Vassar’s policies regarding when Security will or will not contact them, and have been an active partner in the development of Security protocol.

In addition to SAVP, Security continues to offer its Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) course, a self-defense program for women. According to Squillace, “RAD classes have been getting smaller.” In the first few years, the classes did not have enough space for the students who requested them. “We’re baffled” she said.

In addition to making these courses available to Vassar students, Security officers have traveled to Marist College. Security also utilizes a space in the Town of Poughkeepsie police department to teach people from the local non-profit Family Services.

While much of SAVP addresses working with victims of sexual assault, Security policies try to accommodate students in other ways. “If any student calls us, if they are at a local party somewhere off-campus and feel uncomfortable, the Campus Response Center will respond to them” whether that response involves picking them up or in some other way making sure they are safe, said Squillace.

Squillace also noted that if a student requests a ride to the hospital for a personal matter without discussing with a Security officer or SART team member what specifically has happened, Security will also accommodate the request.

Phone calls to the Security office dealing with sexual assault are typically handled by a supervising officer, but all officers have on- hand the numbers for on- and off-campus resources for victims.