Sexual Assault is an incredibly important issue that demands to be discussed in a college climate. Meet Kalpana Vissa and Maddy Daley, two campus leaders who share their insights about the DC Statistics Campaign and Sexual Assault at GW.
Name: Kalpana Vissa
Position: GW SASA- Director of Peer Education
1) Can you define Sexual Assault and Consent?
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), sexual assault “can take many different forms, but one thing remains the same: it’s never the survivor’s fault. Sexual assault is a crime of power and control, referring to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. Some forms of sexual assault include: penetration of the survivor’s body (rape), attempted rape, forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, fondling, and unwanted sexual touching.” Sexual assault occurs when consent is not given AND received. Consent is a conversation. It’s an enthusiastic “YES!” It’s mutual. It’s continuous. It’s unambiguous. It’s voluntary. It can be revoked at any time, and must be respected at all times.
2) What was the DC Statistics Campaign about and why is it relevant?
For the past five years, in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, GW Students Against Sexual Assault has run a campus-wide Statistic Campaign to raise awareness about sexual violence. Each year, we choose a statistic that represents a certain facet of sexual violence, for example: domestic violence, stalking, college report rates, etc. Sexual violence is an umbrella term. Sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape, date rape drugs, stalking, sexting… these are all types of sexual violence, so each year we shed light on a specific facet. We have a week of action and education about sexual violence prevention for the Statistic Campaign. This year, we invited other DC-area schools including Georgetown and American and other student organizations to partner with us for a DC –wide Statistic Campaign! The more we inform our peers and community members about sexual violence through action, education, spreading information, sharing resources and facts (aka the statistics), the more we are contributing to this important conversation and creating an environment where sexual violence is no longer tolerable.
3) Why do we need to talk about these issues?
Sexual violence is an issue that affects everyone. Moreover, statistically, sexual violence occurs more on college campuses. We need to talk about this because it happens, and we can be part of the solution through education, teaching consent, and being bystanders. It is possible for college students like us to reduce and hopefully prevent sexual violence in our communities, because education equals prevention. The reality is that many of the students on our campus are not aware of the realities of sexual violence; this kind of material is not often taught in high school or even on most college campuses. I am super excited that we were able to provide mandatory in person and online training for our incoming students this past year to give them the resources they need to comprehend the definition of consent… and respond effectively and responsibly to this issue.
4) What does GW SASA do on campus?
As the GW SASA Facebook page states, “George Washington Students Against Sexual Assault is a peer-led organization whose purpose is to provide the George Washington University community with educational and supportive services related to sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, sexual harassment, and stalking. We strive to eliminate the culture of sexual violence on campus, and do so by advocating for policy changes, actively educating the campus community, and creating safe spaces on campus for all those who have been affected by sexual violence.” GW SASA is here to advocate for survivors, create a safe space for our peers, and put an end to sexual violence. You can always reach out to gwsasa@gwu.edu with any questions you may have.
Name: Maddy Daley
Position: GW Program Board- Political Chair
1) You were involved in the screening of “Hunting Ground” during the DC Statistics Campaign. Can you give an overview of the movie and why it is important to screen at GW?
The “Hunting Ground” is an incredible film calling attention to sexual assault on college campuses. The film did a fantastic job of covering all aspects of sexual assault pertinent to both male and females. Two women who were sexually assaulted on their college campus bring to light the stories of other women on college campuses who were sexually assaulted and the way their stories were swept under the rug by the administrators of those schools. It is a moving and amazingly directed film that everyone should watch. I think this was an incredibly important film to screen at GW for two reasons. First, it’s important to show students that sexual assault is something very real that happens on our campus and not just a taboo topic that could “happen to other people but never yourself”, as people say. Second, it’s important to show the administration that people are paying attention to the way they handle reports of sexual assaults and how brushing such reports under the rug can have a devastating effect on survivors and create an unsafe environment for students.
2) Why is it important to have conversations about sexual assault at GW?
There are people on campus who have been sexually assaulted, but do not report it because they are afraid of the environment they are in, that being our campus. By discussing sexual assault and providing a safe and open environment for students who were assaulted, survivors will feel more welcome to report their assaults and seek the justice they deserve. This discussion furthermore will force the administration into action and pursue the assaulters. This would then cause a domino effect because if we create a campus where justice will be given to survivors, assaulters will possibly fear that imminent punishment and it will deter them from assaulting anyone in the first place. Thus, discussion of sexual assault on campus will have a ripple effect and create great change. I think we are off to a great start with the mandatory sexual assault seminars for incoming Freshmen, but there are many more steps that need to be taken in order to make every Colonial feel safe and heard.
Resources: As provided by GW SASA
–GW Sexual Assault Response Consultative
Team–
(202) 994-7222 = 24/7 HOTLINE
SARC offers 24/7 emergency support for survivors and community members.
–GW Title IX Coordinator (Rory Muhammad)–
The ongoing contact for filing complaints, supporting campus survivors, and developing anti-sex discrimination policies and procedures.
–GW Assistant Director for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (Carrie Ross)–
Works with Title IX Coordinator to support survivors and navigate them through administrative processes.
–GW Victims’ Services (currently vacant)–
Helps survivors with personal needs post-assault, such as schedule changes, housing changes, academic accommodations, etc.
–GW University Counseling Center–
(202) 994-5300 = 24/7 HOTLINE
UCC provides medical examinations, counseling services, group sessions, and outside referrals for survivors.
–GW Students Against Sexual Assault–
SASA offers office hours where students and community members can come to learn more about the resources offered on campus and in the community. Unlike staff and admin, SASA members are not mandatory reporters, so everything shared is completely confidential.
–DC Rape Crisis Center–
(202) 333-7273 = 24/7 HOTLINE
24/7 crisis hotline and follow-up counseling for sexual violence survivors, outside of GW.
–Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network–
(1-800) 656-4673 = 24/7 HOTLINE
Survivors can connect with local RAINN affiliate organizations through the National Sexual Assault Hotline for support, assistance in finding services, and legal information in a safe, confidential way.