UI to fund new sex assault prevention positions

The University of Iowa campus and Iowa City community is getting a boost to its fight against sexual violence in the form of funding for three prevention education specialists.

UI President Sally Mason on Monday announced the university's promise of support for three positions at the UI Women's Resource and Action Center, or WRAC, and the UI-based Rape Victim Advocacy Program, or RVAP. An exact dollar amount being committed by the UI for the positions has not been nailed down, according to Anne Bassett, with the UI Office of Strategic Communication.

But the additional resources will allow WRAC to add a full-time prevention specialist position and increase another position from half-time to full-time. It will enable RVAP to add a full-time sexual violence prevention education position for the UI beginning Nov. 1.

The funding aims to further the mission of a 'six point plan to combat sexual assault” that Mason rolled out during the last academic year. The plan focuses on cracking down on offenders, increasing support for survivors, improving prevention and education, bettering communication, listening more, reporting back and adding financial resources.

In accordance with that plan, the university recently established first-ever sanctioning guidelines for sex assault, increased funding for a specialty trained nurse to work with survivors, expanded a Nite Ride service for women on campus, and formed a student advisory group to consult with Mason on the impact of policies and practices.

The new WRAC positions announced this week will be used to help expand the Men's Anti-Violence Council, further partnerships with UI campus organizations, train students from athletics to the Greek system to be peer leaders, and educate faculty interested in integrating prevention education into their curricula.

A subcommittee of the UI's Anti-Violence Coalition, which includes members from numerous campus departments and community partners, recommended additional funding for the positions in hopes of enhancing in-person training.

Mason, in a statement, said the university is committed to 'doing everything in its power to prevent sexual violence, provide support to survivors, and hold offenders accountable.”

'There is absolutely no place for this crime on our campus,” Mason said.

Tom Rocklin, UI vice president for student life, said he thinks the additional prevention education efforts will 'make a real difference.” And Monique DiCarlo, UI Sexual Misconduct Response Coordinator, told The Gazette she thinks the mounting prevention efforts across campus are 'exciting” and show a commitment to change.

UI students, staff, and community members during the last school year protested the university's handling of sexual violence in response to controversial comments from Mason and an increase in emailed warnings about assaults on campus.

Critics demanded 'zero tolerance” against offenders, better communication with the community, improved training, and more resources. The university this fall rolled out numerous new campuswide initiatives, many focused on bystander intervention.

Since classes convened Aug. 25, the university has sent four warning emails of six reported assaults on or near campus. Most of the reports occurred in a residence hall or campus housing and involved suspects known to the victims.

Some critics have pointed to those assaults as a sign that the UI's efforts are not working. Others have said sexual assault is a vastly underreported crime, and an increase in reports might simply indicate more people are feeling empowered to come forward.

Jennifer Carlson, executive director of RVAP, said Monday's announcement is a 'tangible example of the university's commitment to effective change.”

'This opportunity will greatly increase the capacity of RVAP to provide prevention education to UI students and continue our commitment to the elimination of sexual violence on our campus,” Carlson said in a statement.

l Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com