1. Lessons Learned from Addressing Power-Based Personal Violence at a Large
Urban Institution: Developing a Coalition, Changing University Policy, Changing
Orientation Delivery, and Pilot-Testing a Campus Climate Survey
Laura Forbes, Jonathan Davis, Larrell Wilkinson, Tiffani Adamson & Jessica Altice
2. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Overview
• Power based personal violence is a type of violence in
which the perpetrator asserts power, control, or
intimidation in order to harm another person.
• Types of power-based personal violence include sexual
assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking.
• Approximately, 1 in 3 (32.9%) women, in the United
States, have been physically abused by a dating partner
(CDC, 2014).
3. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Overview
• Nearly 11.1 million women (1 in 10) in the United
States have experienced rape by a dating partner
(CDC, 2010).
• A recent study found that 14 in every 1,000
persons 18 or older have been victims of stalking
(DOJ, 2013).
• 12.7 million people are raped, physically abused,
or stalked by their partners in one year (No More,
2015).
4. College Students: Overview
• Women aged 16 to 24 experience intimate partner violence
at higher rates than other age groups (DOJ, 2000).
• One in four college women report surviving rape or
attempted rape at some point in their lifetime (Fisher,
Cullen & Turner, 2000; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006).
• In the ACHA survey, 10% of students reported being in an
emotionally abusive relationship in the 12 months prior to
the survey (2013).
• 70% of women who have been raped, stalked, or physically
abused experienced this abuse before the age of 25 (CDC,
2010).
5. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Healthy Campus 2020 Objectives
• Reduce the proportion of students who report being
physically assaulted within the last 12 months. (IVP-33)
• Reduce the proportion of students who report being in
an intimate relationship that was emotionally abusive
within the last 12 months. (IVP-39.3)
• Reduce the proportion of students who report being in
an intimate relationship that was physically abusive
within the last 12 months. (IVP-39.1)
• Reduce the proportion of students who report being in
an intimate relationship that was sexually abusive
within the last 12 months. (IVP 39.2)
6. Power- Based Personal Violence: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Timeline of Events
7. Power-Based Personal Violence:
September 2012
• Samford University was awarded a DOJ grant
on behalf of the 5 higher learning institutions
in Birmingham.
• The 5 institutions formed the Birmingham
Area Consortium on Higher Education
(BACHE).
8. Power-Based Personal Violence:
April 2013
• A campus coordinator was hired by the Crisis
Center, Inc. to work with the 5 Birmingham
institutions.
• The UAB Coordinated Community Response
(CCR) Team was formed and started to have
monthly meetings.
• The CCR Education Workgroup was tasked with
providing programming centered around the NO
MORE Campaign.
9. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Summer 2013
• It was decided that four ads per year would be
published in the student newspaper regarding sexual
assault.
• “Speak Up Against Sexual Violence” leaflet was
disseminated across campus.
• The “Guide for Victims of Sexual Assault” and “Sexual
Harassment: What you can do” brochure was given to
undergraduate incoming students at Freshman and
Transfer orientations. It is also available in Housing,
Student Engagement, Counseling Services, and online.
10. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Summer 2013
• SHAPE presented Healthy Relationships workshop to
incoming students in residence halls.
• RA’s decided to have a Stalking Awareness bulletin
board competition.
• Orientation leaders were trained to present sexual
assault resource information to incoming students.
• SHAPE peer educators presented to sororities.
11. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Fall 2013
• The UAB Conduct Board was trained by the
National Center for Higher Education Risk
Management (NCHERM) on best practices for
addressing sexual assault complaints.
• The UAB Police Department received training
on the best practices for responding to dating
violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases.
12. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Spring 2014
• The UAB Director of New Student Programs attended
Department of Justice Training focused on education
for incoming students on domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault and stalking.
• CCR team members attended Green Dot Bystander
Intervention Training.
• The CCR, UAB Student Life, UAB Student Housing, UAB
Women’s Center, and Rape Response sponsored a
“Take Back The Night” event which also showcased the
Clothesline Project.
13. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Summer 2014
• The UAB Assistant Director of Student
Engagement attended a Department of Justice
Training on developing a Coordinated Community
Response Team on campus.
• UAB introduced the EveryChoice online module
to incoming students.
• All incoming students received information and
resources on domestic violence and sexual
assault at new student orientation.
14. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Summer 2014
• UAB sponsored a workshop entitled “Creating
a Trauma-Informed Community of Providers:
Focusing on the Client's Experiences.”
• The Campus Climate Survey was piloted at
UAB.
15. Power-Based Violence:
Summer 2014-Campus Climate Survey
• The survey was developed by Dr. Davis at
Samford University.
• Survey items came from a survey administered by
Hines et al., (2012) and items specific to the
university were added such as locations, types of
services available, and extra-curricular activities
available.
• IRB approval was gained by submitting an
expedited Human Subjects Protocol application.
16. Power-Based Violence:
Summer 2014-Campus Climate Survey
• The survey platform utilized was Qualtrics.
• UAB Office of Institutional Effectiveness assisted
with survey administration by generating a
sample of 2,000 students based on Spring 2014
enrollment data.
• The sample generated was based on the gender
demographics of the university (58% female and
42% male).
17. Power-Based Violence:
Summer 2014-Campus Climate Survey
• Once the sample was generated, it was sent to Dr.
Forbes and only included email addresses.
• Students were sent an email that explained the intent
of the survey and a link to the Qualtrics survey.
• Two weeks later, the same 2,000 students were sent
the same email which served as a reminder.
• Approximately 200 students completed the pilot
survey.
18. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Fall 2014
• UAB revised the Student Violence and Sexual
Misconduct policy.
http://www.uab.edu/policies/content/Pages/UAB
-UC-POL-0000761.aspx
• UAB Conduct Committee received training on
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.
• UAB Title IX webpage was launched.
http://www.uab.edu/titleix/
19. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Fall 2014
• The university opened a new Student Health
and Wellness Center.
• Which allows for medical and counseling
services to be integrated.
• Thus the ability to coordinate clinical services
for students impacted by interpersonal
violence may be enhanced.
20. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Fall 2014
• UAB president, Dr. Watts, sent a campus-wide email
alerting students to the Student Violence and Sexual
Misconduct Policy.
• An incident occurred on campus where students were
robbed and sexually assaulted
– http://www.alabamas13.com/news/four-uab-students-robbed-
at-gunpoint-in-16th-street-parking-deck/29193502
– http://www.alabamas13.com/news/Bond-reduced-for-suspect-
in-UAB-parking-deck-robbery-sexual-assault/29783884
• Following the incident, the University Provost sent an email
to faculty addressing Title IX, prevention resources, and
how to address student concerns.
21.
22. Power-Based Personal Violence:
Spring 2015
• Following the incident in October of 2014, the University
President convened a Campus Safety Task Force charged with
assessing campus violence and sexual assault.
• A report was released in January of 2015, and recommended
– improvements to the student/faculty alert system
– revisions to the internal administrative communication protocol
– improving student safety in isolated areas (i.e. parking decks),
Blazer Express (university transportation, and safety escort
service
– use of smart application to increase student safety
– increase communication with Crimestoppers and tip line
– resources to hire 2 full time employees (campus safety
coordinator & coordinator for sexual assault education)
24. Where do we go from here?
• UAB is a large, public, urban university but
many of our strategies can be applicable to
your college or university.
• At the core of our story is a partnership
between faculty, staff, community agencies,
and campus police department.
25. Where do we go from here?
• Form partnerships with local agencies that focus
on dating violence or sexual assault.
• Discuss with health center staff about how to
screen patients for signs of dating violence.
• Plan to discuss laws, mandatory reporting
policies, and resources available with faculty and
staff.
26. Where do we go from here?
• Train Resident Assistants on how to respond
to reports of power-based violence.
• Provide information on resources to students
at orientation.
27. References
• ACHA (2013). National College Health Assessment.
http://www.acha-ncha.org/docs/ACHA-NCHA-
II_UNDERGRAD_ReferenceGroup_DataReport_Spring2013.
pdf
• CDC (2010). National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence
Survey. http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/
• CDC (2014). Intimate Partner Violence.
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnervi
olence/definitions.html
• DOJ (2000). Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report:
Intimate Partner Violence.
http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ipv.pdf
28. References
• DOJ (2013). Stalking.
http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=973
• Fisher, et al. (2000). The Sexual Victimization of College
Women.
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/182369.pdf
• No More (2015). Resources.
http://nomore.org/resources/
• Tjaden & Thomas (2006). Extent, Nature, and
Consequences of Rape Victimization: Findings from the
National Violence Against Women Survey.
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/210346.pdf
Editor's Notes
CCR Team Mission: UAB’s CCRT brings together students, staff, and faculty to create a campus culture where power-based personal violence of any kind, specifically domestic violence and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are not tolerated. Through our commitment to violence prevention education, training, increased accessibility to support services for survivors, and holding offenders accountable, we strive to have a safer campus community.
Ad topics:
1. How to help a friend who has been sexually assaulted
2. What to do if you have been sexually assaulted
3. Tips to help avoid date rape (tips for both men and women appear in the ad)
4. Sexual Assault – You are not alone.
All ads point people in the direction on Rape Response for support. All information (except You are not alone) was taken directly from Rape Response information. They are run in the “back to school” edition, orientation edition, and immediately before Christmas break and Spring Break.
SHAPE- Sexual Health Awareness through Peer Education
Green Dot- 4 day institute on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking
Clothesline Project- T-shirt display that bears witness to the many forms of violence
EveryChoice is an online, video-based program, aimed at reducing campus sexual assault, dating/domestic violence and stalking by equipping students with realistic, actionable bystander intervention tools. As of September 10, 2014, 1,109 UAB students had completed the EveryChoice program.
The workshop was intended to walk human service providers through the systems and protocols (medical, legal, and conduct) that sexual assault survivors experience from the beginning to the end after an assault.
Emails were sent in batch’s of 100 to prevent it from being communicated as spam.