13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault in college. 26.4% of females and 6.8% of males experience sexual assault in college. You are not alone. Elon has many ways to support students who have been assaulted. If you want to support survivors, but do not know how to, here are some resources.

• There are a number of student organizations to help support victims, and find community. 

  • Students Promoting Awareness, Change, and Empowerment (SPACE): Students of all genders help engage members of the Elon community in conversations about the issue of rape, domestic violence, and sexual assault on college campuses. 

  • Elon Feminists for Equality, Change, and Transformation (EFFECT): An organization devoted to awareness and activism around issues of feminism in an intersectional way,

  • Alpha Chi Omega: A national women’s organization and community to build friendships, leadership, learning, and service. Their philanthropy is domestic violence, as well as doing substantial service work with Family Abuse Services of Alamance County.

  • Students Promoting Awareness, Responsibility, Knowledge, and Success (SPARKS): A group of authentic and accepting peer educators, leaders, and advocates who have interests related to health, wellness, and social justice. Aimed to educate the campus community on consent and healthy relationships.

• Other efforts individuals can make include donations. Below are some suggestions for organizations you may donate to, however, there are many more organizations online that may further help your personal causes in relation to sexual assault. 

  • Promoting Awareness: Victim Empowerment (https://www.shatteringthesilence.org/): a victim-oriented approach to help those who have experienced sexual assault and violence find social stability. 

  • End Rape on Campus (https://endrapeoncampus.org/): A organization working to end campus sexual violence by supporting survivors and their communities. The focus of prevention through education and policy reform at many levels.

  • No More (https://donate.nomore.org/give/281014/#!/donation/checkout): No More helps direct survivors to support services, as well as equip bystanders with the knowledge to help loved ones. 

  • Now Foundation (https://secure.now.org/a/gt22): Strengthens reproductive freedoms and supports feminism. 

• Supporting victims, as well as preventing sexual assault is not as complicated as joining or donating to an organization. 

  • College culture normalizes sexual assault by creating toxic environments with power imbalances. The pressure to drink in party settings puts individuals in vulnerable situations where saying no is frowned upon. Casual hookup culture also promotes casual sex, which is no bad thing until women are put in positions of consensual sex evolving into non-consensual. Supporting women when they say no to something as simple as a drink will help empower them, and prevent possible escalation of any situation. 

  • Fraternity Culture is yet another organization that has a reputation for parties and drinking. Tight environments with lots of drinking, surrounded by a hookup culture both promote sexual assault, as well as cover it up. A “brother” mentality creates little accountability for members of fraternities who do commit an act of sexual violence. Fear is instilled in members who may want to speak up, while members feel such a strong sense of brotherhood, that their peers could seemingly do nothing wrong. To prevent this, speak up when you see an act of assault committed. Remember that even close friends can commit sexual crimes and always believe the victim.