It can be a very challenging experience when someone discloses a sexual assault; however, knowing how to be supportive can be crucial in a complainant\u2019s healing process. There are two things you need to think about: how you can support the complainant, and how you can take care of yourself.<\/p>\n
Believe the complainant: Know that revealing this experience takes a great deal of strength and courage. Remember that NO ONE DESERVES TO BE ASSAULTED. Remind the complainant that the assault was not their fault. Let the complainant know that you believe them.<\/p>\n
Be respectful of privacy and confidentiality: Don\u2019t tell anyone about the assault without the complainant\u2019s permission. The complainant has chosen to tell you and it may be hurtful or dangerous to inform others.<\/p>\n
Let the complainant make their own decisions: You can provide information and options for the complainant, but always let the complainant make their own decisions.\u00a0 Many complainants feel a deep sense of disempowerment as a result of being violated. Therefore it is important to help the complainant feel empowered. Instead of taking charge, ask how you can help. Offer to accompany the complainant to seek medical attention or to the police if they so choose. Support the decisions the complainant makes, even if you might not agree with them.<\/p>\n
Be aware of your desire to provide reassurance: Saying things like \u201ceverything is going to be all right\u201d or \u201cit could have been worse,\u201d may seem supportive, however, the complainant may interpret these reassurances to mean that you don\u2019t understand their feelings, or that you are trivializing the magnitude of what they have experienced. Instead you might say, “I’m sorry this happened,\u201d or \u201cHow can I be helpful?\u201d<\/p>\n
Remind the complainant that you care: The complainant may worry that their friends and loved ones won\u2019t think of them in the same way. Let the complainant know you don\u2019t see them differently, and that you are here to support them.<\/p>\n
Give the complainant space if they need it: Be sensitive to the fact that the complainant might want to spend some time alone. Don\u2019t touch or hug the complainant unless you are sure they are comfortable with physical contact.<\/p>\n
Be a good listener: Recovering from a sexual assault can take a long time. The complainant may need your support now and in the future. Let the complainant choose when they wants to talk and how much they wants to share. Sometimes the complainant may not want to talk at all. When the complainant does choose to talk to you, these are things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n
The health and safety of Southern Arkansas University\u2019s students is of the highest priority. At times, students may need immediate medical or other professional assistance. However, students may be reluctant to get help because of concerns that their own behavior may be a violation of the student conduct code. To minimize any hesitation students or student organizations may have in obtaining help due to these concerns, the University has enacted the following \u2015good Samaritan provision. Although policy violations cannot be overlooked, the University will consider the positive impact of reporting an incident when determining the appropriate response for policy violations. In such cases, any possible negative consequences for the reporter of the problem should be evaluated against the possible negative consequences for the student who needed assistance. At a minimum, students or student organizations should make an anonymous report that would put the student in need in touch with professional helpers. Examples where this policy would apply include:<\/p>\n
Helping a Complainant of Sexual Assault It can be a very challenging experience when someone discloses a sexual assault; however, knowing how to be supportive can be crucial in a complainant\u2019s healing process. There are two things you need to think about: how you can support the complainant, and how you can take care of… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":564,"featured_media":0,"parent":32,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-93","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/564"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/32"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/title-ix\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}