The organization for Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness (SAPA) (formerly known as Macon Peer Response), serves as a gateway to a safe atmosphere for Randolph-Macon College students. When students hear the phrase “one in four,” many of them make connections to discouraging and powerful statistics, which are impacting millions of college-aged students worldwide:
According to the Journal of Am
erican College Health, one in four female college students report surviving attempted or completed sexual assault since age 14. One in five college women has been raped at some point in her lifetime. According to the 1 in 6 Organization, one in six men has experienced abusive sexual experiences before age 18. A Two-Fold Purpose
“SAPA has two types of members: responders and programmers,” says John Rodriguez ’14, president. “Responders provide support and resources to the victims of sexual assault, and programmers organize campus functions to create awareness for the cause.”
Committed to educating and preventing sexual assault and relationship violence, SAPA hosts programs including The Black Eye Campaign (November 11-13, 2013), The Red Flag Campaign, and Take Back the Night. Student and faculty members help to increase campus awareness by hosting Bystander Intervention programs for First-Year Experience (FYE) cohorts, sororities and fraternities, and by increasing membership. These intervention programs teach students to recognize their ability as bystanders to prevent sexual assault before it happens, or to help a victim in need.
”When a person is sexually assaulted, it’s a personal and difficult issue to handle,” says Jazmyne Stephens ’14, a member of SAPA. “Help from a trained peer creates a sense of safety and can help lower the victim’s fears of being judged.”
Everyone’s Duty
Why should students get involved? SAPA Faculty Advisor and Sociology Professor Denise Bissler believes that each student can make a difference.
“Students have the chance to change our campus climate,” Bissler says. “It takes just one person and the right action to prevent a sexual assault, or to respond in a helpful way to survivors.”
Student Resources
Contacting a Macon Peer Responder will connect victims with resources, on campus and off. Students may also receive support through the Counseling Center, the Chaplain, Hanover Safe Place, or the Ashland Police Department.
“I believe that R-MC’s commitment to providing a safe atmosphere for students is strongly reflected in this organization,” says Kaitlyn Sewell ’15, associate vice president. “SAPA reaches out to victims and helps them become survivors.”
To join SAPA, or for more information, contact:
Wade Felty ’06, [email protected]
Professor Denise Bissler, [email protected]
John Rodriguez ’14, [email protected]
Kaitlyn Sewell ’15, [email protected]
