October 2, 2007: Courageous
This entry is made up of both blog entries and articles published to the Daily Free Press during the month of October, 2007.
LETTER: Surviving sexual assault, with BU's helpful support
Published: Monday, October 1, 2007
Last week The Daily Free Press published a staff editorial lamenting a lack of safety resources on the Boston University campus ("Unsafe Week," Sept. 28, p. 6). As a survivor of sexual assault, I became all too familiar with the rape-response resources available at BU and in Boston.
Because the incident occurred off campus and did not involve another BU student, there was little the university could legally do. However, when I met with a counselor at the BU Behavioral Medicine clinic, she offered me information not only about what BU could do to help me, but also information about help and resources in the City of Boston. BU respected my privacy by not taking any actions I did not explicitly ask it to take. At the same time, the university worked very hard to put me in touch with individuals who could help me complete my semester and return to BU this fall.
The City of Boston also has rape crisis resources. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, has a 24-hour telephone hotline, as well as offices in Cambridge and Boston where survivors can find free counseling. BARCC will also recommend clinical psychologists and counselors in the area, and all information is kept anonymous and confidential. BARCC can be accessed by phone.
BU may not offer a 24-hour hotline, but the university does have a peer listening program: Speakeasy, offered from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. While the hotline is student-run and specializes in recommending referrals, it is still another option for students seeking help on campus. Finally, the BU Police Department offers a four-week program every month and upon request, which the Free Press editorial mentioned only briefly. Students can learn more about Rape Aggression Defense online at the BUPD website or by contacting the department directly.
I was very fortunate to have these options available to me as a BU student. While it is a shame that they are not better advertised on campus, to say that the campus only seeks the appearance of safety is unfair and untrue. Perhaps the Free Press can help take a step toward making these resources better known by profiling Speakeasy and other services in a future issue.
Missy
COM '08
Former Free Press staff writer and cartoonist
As a result of this letter, a school official was later quoted in an article:
Though St. Hilaire said there is no connection between the recent publicity of sexual assaults and the number of cases being reported, Riley did not rule out a possible correlation.
"Perhaps it is a reason when someone else steps forward and reports an assault," he said. "I read a letter in the Free Press [recently] from someone who spoke about her situation [as a rape victim] and is better for it. I think that's a courageous thing to do."
And on October 2, I wrote:
I was called courageous. :) I don't know if I can agree, but damn, it's a nice feeling.
The letter also resulted in an interview with student journalist Felicity Tan, available here: http://www.felicitytan.com/videos/assaulted.html
Click To Play
LETTER: Surviving sexual assault, with BU's helpful support
Published: Monday, October 1, 2007
Last week The Daily Free Press published a staff editorial lamenting a lack of safety resources on the Boston University campus ("Unsafe Week," Sept. 28, p. 6). As a survivor of sexual assault, I became all too familiar with the rape-response resources available at BU and in Boston.
Because the incident occurred off campus and did not involve another BU student, there was little the university could legally do. However, when I met with a counselor at the BU Behavioral Medicine clinic, she offered me information not only about what BU could do to help me, but also information about help and resources in the City of Boston. BU respected my privacy by not taking any actions I did not explicitly ask it to take. At the same time, the university worked very hard to put me in touch with individuals who could help me complete my semester and return to BU this fall.
The City of Boston also has rape crisis resources. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, has a 24-hour telephone hotline, as well as offices in Cambridge and Boston where survivors can find free counseling. BARCC will also recommend clinical psychologists and counselors in the area, and all information is kept anonymous and confidential. BARCC can be accessed by phone.
BU may not offer a 24-hour hotline, but the university does have a peer listening program: Speakeasy, offered from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. While the hotline is student-run and specializes in recommending referrals, it is still another option for students seeking help on campus. Finally, the BU Police Department offers a four-week program every month and upon request, which the Free Press editorial mentioned only briefly. Students can learn more about Rape Aggression Defense online at the BUPD website or by contacting the department directly.
I was very fortunate to have these options available to me as a BU student. While it is a shame that they are not better advertised on campus, to say that the campus only seeks the appearance of safety is unfair and untrue. Perhaps the Free Press can help take a step toward making these resources better known by profiling Speakeasy and other services in a future issue.
Missy
COM '08
Former Free Press staff writer and cartoonist
As a result of this letter, a school official was later quoted in an article:
Though St. Hilaire said there is no connection between the recent publicity of sexual assaults and the number of cases being reported, Riley did not rule out a possible correlation.
"Perhaps it is a reason when someone else steps forward and reports an assault," he said. "I read a letter in the Free Press [recently] from someone who spoke about her situation [as a rape victim] and is better for it. I think that's a courageous thing to do."
And on October 2, I wrote:
I was called courageous. :) I don't know if I can agree, but damn, it's a nice feeling.
The letter also resulted in an interview with student journalist Felicity Tan, available here: http://www.felicitytan.com/videos/assaulted.html
Click To Play