By SUSANNA PENFIELD
A recurring column exploring various statistics related to sexual wellness, mental health, and substance use at Colorado College, brought to you by the Wellness Resource Center.
84 percent.
On the HEDS National Campus Climate Survey, 84 percent of CC students who reported experiencing sexual assault said they told a close friend following the incident. Only 13 percent reported seeking a campus confidential resource. These numbers provide insight on two separate but connected accounts.
First of all, we must recognize that the 84 percent of students who confided in a friend following their assault have begun an important part of the healing process: talking about their trauma. Research shows that verbally processing feelings allows survivors to more effectively deal with intrusive thoughts and memories associated with their experience and prevent these thoughts from recurring. This first disclosure of trauma and subsequent support, or lack thereof, from a first-responder is crucial in assuring a survivor’s ability to move forward with healing.
Considering the importance of this initial communication, it is crucial that survivors understand that their options extend beyond immediate relationships. Although 84 percent of self-reporting survivors at CC confided in someone, 87 percent of those accounts did not move beyond the ears of a “close friend,” and thus, stagnated before reaching a source with the training to process the experience productively.
At CC, there are several ways through which students can address their trauma, most of which do not initiate a formal Title IX investigation. These resources are known as “confidential” and, true to their name, maintain the anonymity of the individual and their conversation regardless of the content, as long as it does not suggest self-harm, direct harm to others, or child abuse.
Confidential resources enable students to speak with an individual trained in addressing trauma; whether that be a professional counselor at Boettcher, the campus Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, or one of CC’s chaplains.
Students can also seek support of the Student Title IX Assistance and Resource Team (START) to ask questions one-on-one and work through issues with an informed, confidential peer resource. START members are trained by the SARC’s office in order to provide students with a more familiar, less intimidating presence — with experiences more reminiscent of a close friend than a professional — with whom they can process issues such as sexual assault or gender-based discrimination. START sessions can be scheduled by emailing start@coloradocollege.edu.
Ignoring sexual assault doesn’t make it go away. As members of this campus, we need to use the resources available to us; as friends of survivors, we must encourage each other to seek professional guidance. For Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October, the Wellness Resource Center will be holding a “How to Support a Survivor” workshop on Oct. 8 and a “Dating After Abuse” workshop on Oct. 11. See the WRC website for details. It’s time to address the trauma.
