The purpose of Longhorn Sexual
Assault Awareness (LSAA) is to both inform the public about the prevalence of
sexual assault, especially on college campuses, and to provide information
about resources on the University of Texas at Austin’s campus that offer help
in preventing sexual violence and also assistance to those who have been
affected by the issue. Sexual assault is defined as “a crime [that] knowingly
[causes] another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or
threat.” As seen in the graph below, there were seventy-four reported cases of sexual assault on the UT campus from 2010-2012. Measures taken by college campuses can dramatically help students learn about
the severity of this issue and how they can prevent the crime.
Nationally, April is known as
Sexual Violence Prevention Month, and organizations on the UT campus, such as
Voices Against Violence (VAV), have been hosting events all month to help
inform students about sexual violence. VAV, a sector of the UT Counseling and Mental Health Center, operates as an organization offering counseling services that puts on several events throughout the year led by student volunteers. We
interviewed Dr. Jane Bost, the Director of the UT Counseling and Mental Health
Center, who speaks about sexual violence prevention on campus here.
One of the events discussed by LSAA
is Denim Day, an event hosted by VAV, which took place on April 23rd.
The event was dedicated to stop putting the blame of assaults on the victims
when the blame should often be on the perpetrator. Another event hosted by VAV
during April was Get Sexy, Get Consent, a theatre performance dedicated to
teaching students the definition of consent so as to help prevent sexual
violence in a relationship. Finally, a third event was titled Growing the Tree
of Prevention on Arbor Day, in which VAV volunteers handed out tree seeds to
students to promote awareness of sexual violence.
Another resource on the UT campus
that helps prevent sexual assault is SURE Walk, an organization that provides
students with walks around campus and surrounding areas late at night when
there could be a threat of assault if a student is alone. All of these resources
help keep the UT campus safe and promote awareness among students so that they
can be as cautious and informed as possible.
Please visit the Resources tab for
contact information and a map of resources that can help students who have been impacted
by sexual assault.
