The number of reported sexual assaults at CWU has more than doubled between 2016 and 2017.

According to campus police, there were 25 reported rape offenses in 2017.  There were 13 rape offenses in 2015, 12 offenses in 2016.

University Police and Public Safety is required the government to release an annual security and fire safety report by September of the following year. The report shows statistics for various crimes which occured on and around campus.

Kremiere Jackson, CWU VP of Public Affairs, believes the number of resources available and the accessibility of these resources is making it easier to report sexual crimes.

Providing an outlet for survivors and bringing awareness to the CWU campus goes a long way in helping students feel comfortable to report sexual crimes, according to CWU Police Chief Jason Berthon-Koch. He also believes the aforementioned programs on campus have been a factor in the increase of reported sexual cases on campus.

“It is because of the programing and resources that we have available on this campus,” Berthon-Koch said. “I believe it’s the messaging that happens from our Wellness Center who does sexual assault awareness programs.”

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men will be sexually assaulted while in college. However, the NSVRC states more than 90 percent of sexual assault victims on campuses nationwide will not report the assault. CWU is trying to change the culture of not reporting sexual allegations,  while at the same time make students more comfortable with reporting sexual violence and harassment.

Students who need to report a crime, such as sexual assault, violence, stalking or intimidation have several resources. They can report to the police department, the Student Medical and Counseling Center (SMaCC), the Wellness Center or the dean of Student Success. The student will then be connected with the appropriate programs, resources and support networks where they can get help.

CWU has programs in place designed to support sexual assault victims. Abuse Support and Prevention Education Now (ASPEN) provides advocacy for people facing personal violence. They help students with legal options, including providing an advocate to accompany the student to court dates. They also provide counseling and other resources for survivors.

Victims of sexual violence can seek help and emotional support through the SMaCC. Which will provide crisis appointments in which a student can simply walk into the clinic and immediately be connected with a counselor to talk to. Counselors can also connect student with additional resources both on and off campus.

The SMaCC also provides ongoing individual counseling for those who need it.  Students can receive medical support through the clinic as well as STI screenings and physical exams.

According to Cindy Burns, a SMaCC counselor, there is a new peer support group for survivors of sexual assault. There are professionals present and available at the meetings but the group itself is run by those who have experienced and survived sexual violence. For more information on this support group, students can visit the Wellness Center or the SMaCC, who have partnered together to create this resource.

Kristine Perry is the Violence Prevention and Response Coordinator in the Wellness Center. According to Perry, the Wellness Center focuses on violence prevention through several educational awareness events put on throughout the year. The events are based around harassment, sexual assault, domestic and dating abuse and stalking. The Wellness Center also gives survivors of sexual assault information on how to report assaults along with accomodations if necessary.

Programs put on by the Wellness Center take place in different locations on campus, such as residence halls, McConnell Theatre and the SURC Theater.

Training and presentations on assault response, consent and statistics are planned for Asia University American Program students, ROTC students, Resident Assistants, Physical Education and School Health faculty members as well as freshmen during Wildcat Weekend.

There is also a new website (www.cwu.edu/wecare) which students can access for information on reporting, prevention, resources and how to help a friend who may be dealing with sexual violence or harassment. According to Perry, the website is designed to be a “one stop shop” for anyone who has any questions about sexual violence on campus”.

CWU’s outreach and continued support following an incident of sexual assault has created a culture for students to feel valued, appreciated, recognized and heard..

CWU’s change in culture towards  sexual assaults is becoming the new campus norm. Thanks to the global #MeToo movement, women are finding courage to speak up. Although #MeToo is geared towards women survivors of sexual assault, the movement has inspired people globally to vocalize their past suffering.

“They [sexual assaults] happen to all people at all levels,” Jackson said… “There is no discrimination.”

Sexual assault on campus is not limited to students. Former CWU political-science professor and current Washington state representative, Matt Manweller, was involved in separate investigations for allegations of sexually harassing students. In an article written by the Seattle Times, in 2006 a female student had found herself at a bar with her then professor, Manweller. The student brought a friend to accompany her to be safe.

Records show  in separate interviews, as part of the investigation, the two women both generally agree for what happened next: Manweller ordered drinks and began asking his student about her sex life. Then he propositioned the two women to have a threesome.

“Sexual violence can only end if we change the culture of our campus and nation,” Perry said. “I would strongly suggest students get involved if they want to create change.”

The fight against sexual assault does not exclude those who have not experienced it. The Wellness Center offers several programs for those who want to get involved in the fight against sexual violence, including bystander intervention workshops, general education programs, volunteer opportunities and a new violence prevention club.