S.O.S. News
WE NEED YOU!
S.O.S. is accepting applications thru October 28th and will train new volunteers over two weekends in January. Questions? Get the answers from current volunteers at our Interest Meeting on Tues 10/18 at 6pm in the Williamson Room, Perkins Student Center, or find out more on this website! If you want experience with crisis intervention & victim advocacy, skills in facilitating peer prevention programs, a unique community service opportunity, or you have career goals related to the work of S.O.S., then we are the right UD activity for you! Apply online!
If you are victimized...
Survivors of all forms of sexual assault and intimate partner violence can experience a wide range of feelings and reactions, including confusion, denial, anger, shock, numbness, fear, self-blame, embarrassment, sadness, and helplessness. It is common for survivors to have:
- feelings of guilt and responsibility;
- concerns about their ability to make good judgments about people;
- difficulty trusting themselves and others;
- feelings of being violated, conned, cheated, and/or manipulated;
- difficulty accepting what happened as rape or abuse.
It is common for survivors of sexual assault or rape to experience Post Traumatic Stress, formerly called "Rape Trauma Syndrome." Seeking supportive crisis care or after-care counseling can be helpful in coping with these initial, intense feelings.
Survivors of intimate partner violence struggle with who to turn to for help because many of their friends don't understand and just want them to leave the abusive partner. You may find it especially helpful to get information and support from an outside resource.
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse and incest often begin to remember their experience or deal with the emotions associated with their childhood experiences for the first time while in college. This can be a scary and difficult time and can create a great deal of turmoil in the survivors' life, even though the assault(s) happened years before.
No matter what kind of assault you experienced, it is important to know that:
- These feelings and reactions are normal, and quite common.
- IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT! Sexual Assault is a crime of power and control. Intimate Partner Violence also occurs when one partner tries to control the other. No one can force a perpetrator to commit these crimes. The perpetrator always has other options and choices in the situation. You are not responsible for the perpetrator assaulting you even if you were drinking, on a date with the person, dressed provocatively, or even if you engaged in consentual kissing, foreplay, or sexual acts with the person beforehand. Your consent is required for a mutual, legal sexual interaction; without your consent it is rape. If you are intoxicated, then you are unable to give consent and sex at that point is rape.
- Help is available.
Caring For Yourself / Safety Checklist...Your options in the first 24 hours
If you have been sexually assaulted within the last 72 hours, you have some medical and legal options to consider which are time-limited. There are other medical, legal, and emotional resources that are available to you regardless of when your sexual assault occurred.
Use the black navigation menu buttons at left to learn about more options available to you, or call to speak with an SOS Victim Advocate who can present these options to you, support you, and listen. You are strongly encouraged to read UD Frequently Asked Questions about Sexual Assault.
For UD Students on Study Abroad:
It is recommended that you seek out the UD staff members coordinating your trip for assistance navigating the local resources. The laws and the criminal justice system can be vastly different in other countries from what you may expect in the U.S. You may find it helpful to contact a local victim service agency in that country. The following are some resources to assist you:Â
U.S. State Department Travel Information Travel advisories, emergency assistance, common concerns for specific destinations around the globe, and many more resources for U.S. travelers.
U.S. State Department Help for Americans Emergency Assistance for American Citizens Abroad
VA Online Listing of Victim Assistance Agencies in countries around the globe where you can seek help if you are sexually assaulted, stalked, harassed.
Office for Victims of Crime Resources for International Victims of Crime.
S.O.S. is still a resource to you if you are a UD student overseas. Call our crisis number at 302-831-2226 for a listening ear or for assistance finding resources where you are in the world. You may seek out our follow-up services when you return to campus.
General Information For Rape/Sexual Assault Survivors:
RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) for Women @ UD
PAVE - Promoting Awareness & Victim Empowerment
The National Center for Victims of Crime -- Violence Against Women (Provides info on Rape/Sexual Assault, Dating/Domestic Violence, Stalking, Cyberstalking, Sexual Harassment, etc. )
To reach the SOS Victim Advocate on duty (24 hrs/day) call 831-2226. The person who answers will take a first name and phone number and the advocate will call you back within 10 minutes.
Upcoming Events!
Project Impact: My Relationships, My World (Part One)
Trabant MPR C
Did you know as a student leader you can have a profound impact on your peers by providing support, resources, and knowledge? By modeling healthy attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that promote respect, equality, and a culture of non-violence you are leading by example! Your influence can have a resounding impact on your peers and your relationships with them. This program will help you develop the skills you need to understand dating violence, model respect and equity, as well as provide you with resources helpful to those affected by abusive relationships. Experts in the field will provide an interactive and informative approach to help you identify ways you can make a positive difference – here at UD and beyond. *Note: You do not have to attend Part One to attend Part Two. Sponsored by Wellspring: Student Wellness Program and the Prevention Subcommittee, a joint subcommittee of the Delaware Victims Rights Task Force and the Domestic Violence Task Force of Delaware. This program counts as part of the Blue Hen Leadership Program. Contact Susan Luchey to register your attendance at this program or to register for BHLP.
Film: "Miss Representation"
Trabant Theatre
A documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, premiered at 2011 Sundance Film Festival and aired on Oprah Winfrey Network, looks at the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence. It exposes how American youth are being sold the concept that women and girls’ value lies in their youth, beauty, sexuality, and appearance rather than their intelligence. Following the film will be a speaker who will share her personal struggle with an eating disorder. Sponsored by National Eating Disorders Awareness Council, for National Eating Disorders Awareness Week and the Blue Hen Leadership Program, and co-sponsored by S.O.S. and Wellspring.
Project Impact: My Relationships, My World (Part Two)
Trabant MPR C
What message are you sending with your event flyers, Facebook events, and other marketing materials? Your publicity tells individuals more than the date, time and location of your event. Your flyers can tell a person what your organization/event stands for, values, and promotes. This program will help you understand how marketers sell certain messages through their products and how to deconstruct those messages. You will also develop the skills needed to create publicity that promotes equality, respect, and healthy relationships. *Note: You do not have to attend Part One to attend Part Two. Sponsored by Wellspring: Student Wellness Program and the Prevention Subcommittee, a joint subcommittee of the Delaware Victims Rights Task Force and the Domestic Violence Task Force of Delaware. This program counts as part of the Blue Hen Leadership Program. Contact Susan Luchey to register your attendance at this program or to register for BHLP.
21st Annual Crime Victims' Tribute with Guest Speaker Kathleen Bonistall
Bus leaves from Trabant Univ Ctr at 5:30pm. Event takes place at the Dover Sheraton, 1570 North Dupont highway, Dover, DE 19901
The 21rst Annual Crime Victims’ Tribute is part of Delaware’s recognition of National Crime Victims Rights Week, April 22-28, 2012. The Tribute honors crime victims who have died and those who continue to struggle daily with the aftermath of their own or a loved one’s victimization. There are many displays such as the memorial wall filled with artwork, poems and letters written by victims, survivors and friends, and other displays in which victims are able to openly express their thoughts and feelings. Participants can bring their own letters or art pieces to add to the displays. Victims’ advocates throughout the state display resource materials to assist victims in their healing journey. This year’s speaker is Kathleen Bonistall, mother of UD student Lindsay Bonistall who was raped and murdered in her off-campus apartment in May 2005. The Bonistall family founded PEACE OUTside Campus, the Lindsay Bonistall Foundation to promote peaceful, safe living environments off-campus. Mrs. Bonistall will talk about how the crime has impacted her life and share a message of hope for all victims, survivors, advocates and law enforcement. Part of UD's Sexual Assault Awareness Month. FREE BUS provided by Student Activities & Programs will leave Trabant at 5:30pm but you must REGISTER to RIDE.