On May 1, Rebekah Carrow and Amanda Childress led a workshop on how faculty members can help victims of sexual assault who choose to identify themselves to their teachers for whatever reason. Amanda and Rebekah are new to Dartmouth and serve as co-coordinators of Dartmouth’s Sexual Abuse Awareness Program.
Faculty members are not professional counselors, nor should they try to be, but we are teachers. As teachers, we are concerned with anything that inhibits our students’ success. The trauma of sexual assault, whether from long ago or recently, can seriously inhibit a student’s academic success. When a student shares information about such experiences, we should be prepared to offer the kind of help they need to heal.
Carrow and Childress led the small group of faculty participants through a number of exercises that prompted us to identify some DOs and DON’Ts. Here’s what we came up with:
What YOU Can Do
Listen
- You don’t always have to speak
- Silence is okay Concentrate your energy on what S/HE is saying and feeling, NOT what YOU’RE thinking and feeling.
- Be sensitive to HIS/HER needs
- What is it that s/he wants from you?
- Get him/her the help s/he needs Encourage him/her to seek help, but don’t push it
- Be Sincere; edit your comments
- Censor comments that may be irrelevant/inappropriate to the conversation
- Be cautious of judgmental statements
- Ask him/her how to help (don’t assume)
- Believe what s/he is saying
- Try not to judge his/her actions or statements
What NOT To Do
- Don’t tell him/her what to do.
- Don’t investigate the situation or interrogate the person (who, what, when, where, why???)
- Don’t try to fix/solve the problem Don’t blame the victim (ie. have a risk reduction conversation or ask “why did you…”)
- Don’t insert your opinion Don’t make false promises or statement
- Don’t share his/her information with non-relevant personnel
Things to Remember
This is about them and their needs, not you and your needs
- You don’t have to know all the answers -Direct them to someone who does
- Every situation will be different
- Be cautious of your facial expressions and tone
- Use empathetic statements Stay focused and be aware of his/her verbals and non-verbals -Be there, in the moment
- Make appropriate eye contact
- Be cautious of touching, ask before
- Remember… Actions can speak louder than words
- Level with them about confidentiality, preferably before.
For more information, contacts, resources and help: Department of Student Health Promotion & Wellness
37 Dewey Fld. 4th Floor
http://www.dartmouth.edu/sexualabuse