Spring 2022 Graphics by Caroline King bank to cash your check? You must have known that someone could rob you at any moment.” However, a victim isn’t always blamed by a third-party person. Many times, an offender will manipulate their victim into thinking that the abuse was their fault. “They may feel that it is partly their fault because the offender is manipulating them to feel that way,” Berkheiser said. Sexual violence occurs far more often between two people who already know each other, whether within families or between classmates or dating partners. With children, they may not want to report to law enforcement because they don’t want their family member to get in trouble. “While they don’t want the bad stuff to happen, they often still love that person, especially if they’re one of their caregivers,” Berkheiser said. For example, an offender could be that really popular teacher everyone likes. Because of this, a victim may fear that their friends will not believe them. Moreover, an act of sexual violence can leave victims feeling ashamed or embarrassed. Consequently, recounting the event is often difficult The Rape, Abuse & Incest Network (RAINN) defines sexual violence as a “non-legal term that refers to crimes like sexual assault, rape and sexual abuse.” It’s On Us is an organization that helps combat campus sexual assault. According to It’s On Us’s website, between 20-25% of undergraduate women are victims of sexual violence. Ninety percent of victims do not report the crime to law enforcement. “I don’t think we have educated ourselves enough to get the significance,” said Shannon Berkheiser, the Title IX Coordinator at Cedarville University. “We don’t fully understand how often sexual violence occurs. So we tend to focus on other issues instead.” The first step in responding to victims of sexual violence is being eduSexual Violence Remains Prevalent on College Campuses What Victims Go Through and How We Can Help By Chris Karenbauer cated on the subject. Sexual violence isn’t only sexual harassment, rape and sexual abuse. It also includes stalking or any unconsented sexual act. Berkheiser works to educate people about sexual violence and teaches them how to respond appropriately to victims. “I’ve always been very passionate about how people of faith lack the resources and education to come alongside a victim of sexual violence when we are really the ones who should have all the answers,” Berkheiser said. What are the best ways to come alongside and support a victim of sexual violence? One way is to appropriately encourage them to report it and provide the support they need to do so. But this is easier said than done because the victim may face obstacles to reporting the crime. As previously stated, less than 10% of rape victims report the crime to law enforcement. Why? One obstacle can be victim blaming. “I think that in our Christian circles, we too easily fall into victim blaming,” Berkheiser said. “This diminishes the responsibility of the offender and places the burden of the crime on the victim.” Imagine you’re going to the bank to cash a check. Once you receive your money, you put it in your wallet. As you leave the bank, someone mugs you, stealing your wallet. In this situation, most people would say that the blame is solely on the offender, not the victim. No one would say, “Why did you go to the Editor’s note: The following story contains material related to sexual violence that may be disturbing to some people.
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