WAGE holds panel on domestic violence
Domestic abuse, sexual assault awareness and education emphasized in discussion
Claudia Lozano
Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Campus News
Once a year the Women's and Gender Equity (WAGE) Center holds its panel on Ending Dating and Domestic Violence Rally.
Even though they already held the rally last semester, they decided to do it again this semester.
"Last semester we had a fantastic panel, but low attendance," WAGE coordinator Tiffany Gerber said, adding "although our campus is safe, we want to bring awareness and education to our students at the university."
Gerber said talking about the subject may be disheartening for some, but they tried to focus on the positives.
Panelist Amanda Mondlock from Community Action Stops Abuse said this was the second time she was participating in the event.
"I see a lot of sexual assault among dating students," Mondlock said.
She said the majority of the cases she sees involve alcohol, either from the victim or from the aggressor.
University Police Department Detective Doug Hubbard agreed and said sometimes it is very hard to prosecute someone because alcohol was involved. He explained as a detective, once someone files a sexual assault, he is the one that talks to the victim and carries it throughout the process.
"It's also an emotional process for us as well," he said. "I'm sure we have many more assaults on campus than the number we hear."
Hubbard said in the three years he has investigated sexual assaults, he hasn't prosecuted anyone because of lack of evidence, adding sometimes the victim reports the assault many days later, which makes it hard to collect physical evidence.
"We want people to come to us, and feel comfortable with us," he said. "We won't judge."
The most violent cases Hubbard has seen on campus are in the dorms between males. Hubbard said the investigation of cases that involve violence go pretty fast, whereas sexual assaults are very long.
Roberta Goodman, a representative from Counseling Services, said they are there not to push or judge someone but rather to listen to what a person has to say.
Even though they already held the rally last semester, they decided to do it again this semester.
"Last semester we had a fantastic panel, but low attendance," WAGE coordinator Tiffany Gerber said, adding "although our campus is safe, we want to bring awareness and education to our students at the university."
Gerber said talking about the subject may be disheartening for some, but they tried to focus on the positives.
Panelist Amanda Mondlock from Community Action Stops Abuse said this was the second time she was participating in the event.
"I see a lot of sexual assault among dating students," Mondlock said.
She said the majority of the cases she sees involve alcohol, either from the victim or from the aggressor.
University Police Department Detective Doug Hubbard agreed and said sometimes it is very hard to prosecute someone because alcohol was involved. He explained as a detective, once someone files a sexual assault, he is the one that talks to the victim and carries it throughout the process.
"It's also an emotional process for us as well," he said. "I'm sure we have many more assaults on campus than the number we hear."
Hubbard said in the three years he has investigated sexual assaults, he hasn't prosecuted anyone because of lack of evidence, adding sometimes the victim reports the assault many days later, which makes it hard to collect physical evidence.
"We want people to come to us, and feel comfortable with us," he said. "We won't judge."
The most violent cases Hubbard has seen on campus are in the dorms between males. Hubbard said the investigation of cases that involve violence go pretty fast, whereas sexual assaults are very long.
Roberta Goodman, a representative from Counseling Services, said they are there not to push or judge someone but rather to listen to what a person has to say.
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