Students for Survivors Guidelines:
The group must be a safe space for everyone involved, as well as a supportive environment for anyone who chooses to share their experiences.
We have created a set of guidelines that we find necessary to follow to create this safe space.
We have created a set of guidelines that we find necessary to follow to create this safe space.
- Never assume that anyone is or is not a survivor – whether or not they are involved in our group
- Never ask anyone to disclose whether they are a sexual violence survivor
- If survivors share their story with you, never pressure them for information, never repeat their experiences to anyone, never urge them to be involved in your campaign in ways in which they may not be comfortable
- If they give you permission to share aspects of their stories for the purposes of our movement, be very discerning about when and where this information is shared in safe spaces, never share names unless the person whose name is being shared has given explicit permission for you to do so, and avoid specifics of their experiences.
- Anyone can be a survivor of sexual assault, regardless of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, class, religion, ability, etc.
- There is no “right way” for a survivor to respond to assault and survivors' reactions vary immensely
- Remember that only the survivor knows their specific situation and experience best, and dispensing any opinions of what they “should do” or “should have done” is victim blaming and insensitive
- Be prepared to keep phone numbers or contact information for rape crisis centers and other sexual assault services on hand and to be able to direct survivors to resources that will explain how to seek medical attention, report the incident, file a disciplinary complaint, initiate a criminal investigation, obtain counseling and support, etc.
- Only the survivors themselves can decide which route to take, but it is extremely helpful to be able to direct your campus and community to a comprehensive list of resources and options
- Do not tell survivors what they should/shouldn’t do–this is their experience and they know what is best fit for themselves
- They may not want to go to the hospital, they may want to go to the hospital. They may not want to go to the police, they may want to go to the police. That is their decision. It is crucial to give survivors choice and agency in their decision in how to respond
- If someone discloses with you that they have been sexually assaulted, provide a safe and non-threatening environment, emotional comfort, and support for the survivor to express their feelings. No one asks to be sexually assaulted. Let the survivor know that it is not their fault. The survivor’s fears, anxieties, guilt, anger, and even periods of feeling numb are normal, understandable, and acceptable. It is important to communicate to the survivor that there is no “wrong” way to react to this kind of traumatic event. Do not try to be their therapist. There are resources on/off campus that provide these services. We are here to offer support, advocacy, and empowerment for survivors.
Students for Survivors Principles & Definitions:
Survivor Centrality:
We acknowledge the ownership of the experience for each individual survivor of sexual or gender-based violence. No survivor’s experience is the same. We recognize that each survivor is best fit to speak to their own experiences, and we will not erase the experiences of any survivor, or speak on their behalf. We also recognize that their needs are the foremost of the priorities of our organization, our principles, and our work.
Terminology: We recognize the power of language, and as a result use the word “survivor” rather than “victim.” Sexual assault is a serious crime; it can be traumatizing and life-altering. We cannot define what sexual assault is to someone who has experienced it. Each survivor is an expert on their own experience and how they identify. As an organization, we use the term survivor to first and foremost recognize survivors’ personal strength and power. We recognize some survivors identify more with the term victim because of the seriousness of the crime committed against them. It is a personal choice and we will support the individual’s preference.
Intersectionality: Kimberlé Crenshaw and other feminist scholars define intersectionality as a mode of analysis or lens in which oppression should be viewed through that simultaneously takes into account how multiple identities shape our experiences (Crenshaw, 1241). We recognize and actively work against all forms of oppression, including but not limited to racism, sexism, heterosexism, cis-sexism, ableism, sizeism, classism, colorism, ageism, etc. All forms of oppression are interconnected and cannot be examined separately from one another. We cannot expect to end any form of oppression without working against all of them.
Crenshaw, Kimberle. "Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color." Stanford Law Review 6th ser. 43 (1991): 1241-299. JSTOR Archive. Web. 1 Feb 2017.
Sexual Assault: Sexual assault is any type of sexual behavior or contact where consent is not freely given or obtained and is accomplished through force, intimidation, violence, coercion, manipulation, threat, deception, or abuse of authority. Sexual assault happens to all genders.
Consent: The Ohio Revised Code does not provide a definition for consent. Students for Survivors defines consent as sober, verbal, and ongoing. Consent must be given while sober. An inebriated person cannot give proper consent. Consent must be verbal. It is given with a verbal, enthusiastic "yes" with the option of saying no. Silence does not mean yes. Consent must be ongoing. It can be revoked at any point in time; consent is not forever.
Rape Culture:
Rape culture is the normalization of sexual violence in our society, where sexual assault is trivialized or belittled. It takes different forms. It is prevalent in the media, pop culture, jokes, language, and more. It is perpetuated by many people, values, and systems. We live in a society that is rooted in patriarchy, misogyny, enforcing the gender-binary, hypermasculinity, and many forms of oppression. It is our mission to dismantle rape culture and address its lasting affects on survivors and our society.
Victim Blaming: We demand that perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence are held accountable and that the sole responsibility for any incidence of sexual or gender-based violence be placed on the perpetrator alone. Survivors are met with victim blaming, stigmas, and silence.
Often times survivors are re-victimized by the police and the university. Survivors deserve better. It is never the survivors' fault. It does not matter what they were wearing, what they were drinking, or what they didn’t do to prevent it from happening. Rapists cause rape. We do not tolerate or condone victim blaming in any case, under any circumstance.
Education/Awareness: We value awareness and consent education over bystander intervention. We believe that bystander intervention training inherently plays into victim blaming. By insinuating that sexual crimes can be stopped by bystanders, bystander intervention implies that the responsibility for sexual violence does not fall solely on the perpetrator, which is ineffective and traumatizing.
We are independent from the University of Cincinnati:
Students for Survivors is not affiliated or a part of the University of Cincinnati. We are distinctly separate from the university because we refuse to be a part of this system. Services provided by UC are not survivor-centric. The university cares more about branding themselves as an institution that supports survivors than authentically and genuinely supporting survivors.
Demanding accountability of UC:
The University of Cincinnati is complicit in rape culture. Perpetrators are not being held accountable. Survivors are continuously being failed by this institution. Perpetrators must be expelled. We will continue to hold UC accountable for their lack of survivor resources, expelling perpetrators, and authentic support.
We acknowledge the ownership of the experience for each individual survivor of sexual or gender-based violence. No survivor’s experience is the same. We recognize that each survivor is best fit to speak to their own experiences, and we will not erase the experiences of any survivor, or speak on their behalf. We also recognize that their needs are the foremost of the priorities of our organization, our principles, and our work.
Terminology: We recognize the power of language, and as a result use the word “survivor” rather than “victim.” Sexual assault is a serious crime; it can be traumatizing and life-altering. We cannot define what sexual assault is to someone who has experienced it. Each survivor is an expert on their own experience and how they identify. As an organization, we use the term survivor to first and foremost recognize survivors’ personal strength and power. We recognize some survivors identify more with the term victim because of the seriousness of the crime committed against them. It is a personal choice and we will support the individual’s preference.
Intersectionality: Kimberlé Crenshaw and other feminist scholars define intersectionality as a mode of analysis or lens in which oppression should be viewed through that simultaneously takes into account how multiple identities shape our experiences (Crenshaw, 1241). We recognize and actively work against all forms of oppression, including but not limited to racism, sexism, heterosexism, cis-sexism, ableism, sizeism, classism, colorism, ageism, etc. All forms of oppression are interconnected and cannot be examined separately from one another. We cannot expect to end any form of oppression without working against all of them.
Crenshaw, Kimberle. "Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color." Stanford Law Review 6th ser. 43 (1991): 1241-299. JSTOR Archive. Web. 1 Feb 2017.
Sexual Assault: Sexual assault is any type of sexual behavior or contact where consent is not freely given or obtained and is accomplished through force, intimidation, violence, coercion, manipulation, threat, deception, or abuse of authority. Sexual assault happens to all genders.
Consent: The Ohio Revised Code does not provide a definition for consent. Students for Survivors defines consent as sober, verbal, and ongoing. Consent must be given while sober. An inebriated person cannot give proper consent. Consent must be verbal. It is given with a verbal, enthusiastic "yes" with the option of saying no. Silence does not mean yes. Consent must be ongoing. It can be revoked at any point in time; consent is not forever.
Rape Culture:
Rape culture is the normalization of sexual violence in our society, where sexual assault is trivialized or belittled. It takes different forms. It is prevalent in the media, pop culture, jokes, language, and more. It is perpetuated by many people, values, and systems. We live in a society that is rooted in patriarchy, misogyny, enforcing the gender-binary, hypermasculinity, and many forms of oppression. It is our mission to dismantle rape culture and address its lasting affects on survivors and our society.
Victim Blaming: We demand that perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence are held accountable and that the sole responsibility for any incidence of sexual or gender-based violence be placed on the perpetrator alone. Survivors are met with victim blaming, stigmas, and silence.
Often times survivors are re-victimized by the police and the university. Survivors deserve better. It is never the survivors' fault. It does not matter what they were wearing, what they were drinking, or what they didn’t do to prevent it from happening. Rapists cause rape. We do not tolerate or condone victim blaming in any case, under any circumstance.
Education/Awareness: We value awareness and consent education over bystander intervention. We believe that bystander intervention training inherently plays into victim blaming. By insinuating that sexual crimes can be stopped by bystanders, bystander intervention implies that the responsibility for sexual violence does not fall solely on the perpetrator, which is ineffective and traumatizing.
We are independent from the University of Cincinnati:
Students for Survivors is not affiliated or a part of the University of Cincinnati. We are distinctly separate from the university because we refuse to be a part of this system. Services provided by UC are not survivor-centric. The university cares more about branding themselves as an institution that supports survivors than authentically and genuinely supporting survivors.
Demanding accountability of UC:
The University of Cincinnati is complicit in rape culture. Perpetrators are not being held accountable. Survivors are continuously being failed by this institution. Perpetrators must be expelled. We will continue to hold UC accountable for their lack of survivor resources, expelling perpetrators, and authentic support.