Introducing a new resource guide that informs students on what the options are to reporting sexual violence on a college campus!

According to American Civil Liberties Union, 95 percent of U.S. campus rapes go unreported. Due to various societal and institutional barriers, such as the fear of reprisal, feeling as though no one will believe them, or thinking the police or the school could not do anything to help; often times students feel disempowered and unsupported by the campus that has the responsibility to ensure their safety and well-being. A 2007 study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice found that one of the main reasons students do not come forward is that they simply did not know how to report.

Reporting Sexual Violence: A Guide About Survivors’ Options & Rights is a resource that hopes to address that major issue. It highlights the six most important protections set in place for students and what they are entitled to under state and federal laws, as well as some suggested considerations to take into account before going through the reporting process. This guide clearly lays out what one’s choices on a college campus are through a flowchart which distinguishes each major route a survivor can take, and who to turn to if they choose to keep their offender accountable.

LaFASA will begin to distribute this guide on college campuses all across Louisiana during the 2017 fall semester.  Visit our website to find more resources for sexual violence survivors and to learn more about sexual violence. For more information about LaFASA’s  Campus Sexual Violence services, please visit lafasa.org or contact our Campus Sexual Assault Project Coordinator, Josef Canaria, at josef@lafasa.org.