Sexual assault, a crime largely unreported on campus, can leave a victim unwilling to step forward because of embarrassment, fear and excessive attention brought on by the media.
UAPD Detective Sgt. Rolf Averill said students come to the UA prepared to report sexual assault, but when they learn that there is the possibility that the crime could be picked up by the media, they decide not to report it.
"Word could spread and it could be embarrassing," he said. "They feel like they have to relive the crime. It's sad to see."
As part of Sexual Responsibility Week, the Oasis center is holding several events to inform students about sexual assault and what they can do to stop it.
Irene Anderson, director of the Oasis center, said many women are afraid to report sexual assault because they are afraid of being identified.
"Even in 2004, there is still a risk for stigma and judgment," she said. "External forces can interfere with one's privacy."
There is also a cultural tendency to blame the victim, Anderson said.
Noah Aleshire, director of Campus Against Rape Educators (CARE), a program within ASUA, said sexual assault is the only crime where press coverage attacks the victim.
"In public cases, (the media) can get hostile," he said. "Victims are sometimes accused of lying or distorting things."
Karri Wischhusen, a psychology sophomore, said she knew someone who was the victim of a sexual assault. The person did report the assault to police, but one of her biggest fears was of being identified.
"There could be embarrassment to the family if word gets around," Wischhusen said. "She didn't want the whole town to know."
Anderson said newspapers print as many details as they can about a crime in order to appeal to readers, but these details can be damaging to the victim.
"There's lots of ways to get around not printing the name," she said. "The details in the article may still identify her."
According to Anderson, 74 cases of sexual assault were reported to the Oasis Center in 2002. However, Anderson said not all the cases reported happened during that year. Several cases involved victims coming forward years after being the victim of a sexual assault.
Despite the numbers, only a very few cases are reported to police. Averill said UAPD receives between four and eight reports of sexual assault per year.
Sergeant Eugene Mejia, UAPD spokesman, said, "there is the belief that only one in 100 sexual assaults are reported."
Mejia said once the victim reports the crime, they are placed in the public's eye.
"They've gone through an extreme violation and they see it reappear in the form of publication," he said.
Anderson said that the Oasis center has provided counseling to many people who have not made reports to either the Dean of Students or UAPD. The Oasis center provides victims with additional options.
"It's critical for a victim/survivor to have as much choice about how to handle it as possible, because they had no choice in the assault," she said.
UAPD also offers counseling services to victims, including those who choose not to report their assault.
Although media attention can deter victims from reporting, Anderson said the media has also played an important role in informing the public about sexual assault issues.
"In the '70s there were no stories in magazines and newspapers" she said. "It was vital for the silence to have been broken."
Anderson said these stories have prompted other victims to speak out and to not assume responsibility for their assaults.
Averill agreed.
"It's made people think when they're in a situation where sexual assault could occur," he said. "It reminds them that 'no' is 'no.'"
Events this week include a presentation put on by the Oasis center titled "What Men Can Do to End Violence Against Women."
Alan Berkowitz, a long time friend of Anderson's, will put on the presentation.
Although the presentation is targeted toward men, Aleshire said they hope that male and female students, faculty and community members will attend.
"We felt that there was a need for a large-scale visible effort to promote sexual assault education and prevention," he said.
While much is done to counsel and support sexual assault victims, Aleshire said he believes it is crucial to teach sexual assault prevention.
The presentation will outline ways in which both men and women can prevent sexual assault in risky or dangerous situations.
The presentation is tonight in the Social Sciences building, Room 100, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of a sexual assault and need help, contact UAPD at 621-8273 or the Oasis center at 626-2051.