Following the mid-October sexual assault in Lawrence Hall, some students have been seeking some response regarding their safety. At the latest meeting of the Student Government Association (SGA), Elizabeth Malomo, Head of the SGA’s Diversity Committee, asked Behrend’s Chancellor Ralph Ford about the flurry of timely warnings that have poured into students’ inboxes, and what is being done to increase the protection of students on campus.

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“I think we really have to make the point of bystander intervention and if you see something, say something,” stated Ford, “if you’re worried about it, let us know, let [your friends] know.”

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While Behrend itself has only reported two incidents to its students, University Park has reported significantly more violations within the last semester.

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While the two timely warning messages that Behrend students received seem daunting, the reality is that Title IX violations are more common still. Kelly Shrout, Behrend’s Title IX coordinator, stated that there have been 18 violations during the 2018 school year and that there have been more since that number was announced in September. While not all of these have been on campus, Shrout seemed to express concern that there had been, “more than one a month.” However, Shrout also seemed hopeful about the number of reports being filed. The increase in reports seemed, to her, to indicate students’ comfort level with seeking help rising.

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Sue Daley, the staff psychologist in the Personal Counseling office at Behrend, has been active in many of the cases of sexual misconduct on campus. “This is certainly a targeted group of people, this age range,” Daley stated. Similarly, Daley finds that the party scene on college campuses contributes to a large number of cases. “A lot of these incidents involve alcohol and drugs, and that’s another reason people don’t come forward, they feel like they can’t remember.”

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“Fear of retaliation to one’s reputation or status,” Daley responded when asked why victims have a hard time coming forward about their experiences, “people have lost jobs or been threatened over reporting. It’s one word, fear.” Daley suggested that misogyny is an answer, in and of itself. “I think it might be a cultural phenomenon where women have been oppressed and been silenced and not believed, ‘so why would I bother.’” Daley explained, “I think [victims are] weighing those options.”

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However, Daley mainly cited trauma and other factors when asked why students do not feel comfortable coming forward about their experiences. “ I think there’s a lot of trauma, and trauma paralyzes us,” Daley stated.

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The Personal Counseling Office has played a significant role in Title IX violations. Many students who find themselves in cases of sexual misconduct, on campus or otherwise, are welcomed by the counselors. In some cases of assault on campus, students will not feel comfortable pursuing charges against perpetrators, but counselors unanimously say that this should not be a concern for students who come into their office.

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“One of the things about being in college is you can report, but you don’t have to press charges. What they should know is you can report this and get help, but you do not have to press charges,” Daley stated.

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Lee Shadeck, a personal counselor in the office, had been the advisor for the club Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) for several years at Behrend. SAVE has since gone dormant, but Shadeck said that it had a significant impact on issues of sexual misconduct and harassment on campus.

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“I very much feel that we definitely raised awareness. It became easier to talk about. Five years ago it wasn’t something we talked about on campus at all,” Shadeck stated, “it’s out in the light, not in the dark.”

    Ken Miller, Senior Director of Administration and Student Affairs, also talked about the importance of prevention. The SAFE module, which is mandatory for students at Behrend, was a crux of the University’s plan to raise awareness of sexual misconduct.

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Miller plays a role in many of the Title IX violations on campus and says that it is always difficult for him to witness students go through the ordeal. “We admit very talented students here, and seeing the waste of potential is hard,” Miller stated. He explained that otherwise impeccable students who are victims of sexual misconduct sometimes fall behind in their academics and other aspects of their life as the experience takes its toll.

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Miller stated that safety on campus is not in danger, as some students may imagine. While the perception of sexual assault is almost always strangers in a dark alley, Miller stated that he “could not remember a single case” of that variety in his 30-year career at Behrend. He stated that many Title IX violations involve students who know one another and often involved alcohol and drug use which blurred the lines of consent.

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Lee Shadeck also stated that a representative from the Crime Victim’s Center would be given a position at Behrend soon, as a way to further help students who have been victims of sexual assault and other traumatic experiences.

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“I think we’ve got to create a community that attacks this,” Ford stated at the SGA meeting. “It’s a hard problem, but I think it’s something we can make progress on.”