OCTC’s Counseling Center will host an awareness session for students called “I Ask” on Thursday, addressing the growing problem of sexual assault.
According to an OCTC news release, “nearly one in five women in the U.S. have experienced rape or attempted rape at some time in their lives, and one in 67 American men have experienced rape or attempted rape.”
JoLynne Chapman, a mental health counselor at OCTC, said since beginning her position on campus in November of last year, she has realized a lot of students are struggling with a number of issues.
“We understand that school is not the primary focus for our students sometimes,” Chapman said. “It can take a backseat to other priorities in our students lives.”
“I Ask” is part of a Healthy You, Healthy Campus series, with sessions designed to help students address various problems.
“We want our students to know they have the support they need and a safe place to share,” Chapman said.
Terri Crowe, a victim advocate from New Beginnings Support Services, helped create the “I Ask” program. The goal of this session is to empower students to create and promote safe environments, promote and model healthy attitudes and relationships and assist survivors in finding resources.
“We at New Beginnings are hoping that the “I Ask” event at OCTC will help to open the campus’s and community’s eyes about the prevalence of and damage done by all forms of sexual violence,” Crowe said. “By not asking questions like, ‘May I kiss you?’ ‘How often does sexual abuse/assault occur?’ ‘How can I help with this issue?’ we can slowly but surely build a healthier and safer community.”
Crowe, who had a conflict and will not be able to attend the event, asked Andrea Wise a sexual assault nurse examiner from Ohio County Hospital Emergency Department to take her place.
“Our younger generation is so overexposed and desensitized to sexual content that they have become ambivalent to how one should behave in social or personal relationships,” Wise said. “They just do not recognize how quickly a situation can become risky for all individuals involved.”
Wise said she also plans to address the actions that need to be taken if someone is assaulted.
“As a sexual assault nurse examiner, I want to get as much evidence as a possibly can to help prosecute a case,” Wise said. “Most victims do not know that they need to come straight to the emergency department for medical care and evidence collection; we do not want them to use the bathroom, brush their teeth, eat, shower or change their clothing.”
According to Wise, intact evidence is optimal for the best outcome. She also plans to offer resources to manage both the physical and psychological trauma.
“Trauma is not just the obvious bleeding wound,” Wise said. “it is the undisclosed, imperceivable damage that our mind neurobiologically experiences and keeps to oneself.”
Chapman said that Owensboro Police Department detectives and the county attorney will also speak at Thursday’s event, addressing the legal side of sexual assault.
“I Ask” will be held at 11 a.m. in the Chandler Conference Center (ATC 107) located in the Advanced Technology Center, on OCTC’s Main Campus at 4800 New Hartford Rd. The event is free and open to the public.
