*TW: Mention of sexual assault*
Winthrop University recently held a cultural event concerning sexual assault on college campuses. The event featured a screening of the 2015 documentary film “The Hunting Ground,” followed by a Q&A discussion. It was put on by the Title IX Office in coordination with the Women and Gender Studies program.
The Q&A featured a panel with Title IX coordinator Kevin Sheppard, Office of Victims Assistance coordinator Itali Jackson, Office of Victims Assistance social worker Bry-Anne Jones, a representative from Safe Passage Suze Joseph, Interim Dean of Students Anthony Davis and Interim Chief of Winthrop Police Charles Yearta.
“The Hunting Ground” is a documentary film that follows several women from different college campuses and their experiences with sexual assault on their campus. The women narrate what happened and the aftereffects from reporting it, including threats they received and inaction from administration.
The event was held to “bring more awareness to the university community about the incidences of sexual assault/harassment/misconduct on college campuses, the reporting processes and resources available to the Winthrop University community,” Sheppard said.
“This was also an attempt to inform the students that although there have been challenges in the past of how the institution has handled sexual assaults, we are making our best efforts to create a cultural shift across campus in addressing these matters and the overall concerns of the students around this subject,” Sheppard said.
The Title IX Office felt now was the best time to hold this event.
“With the current climate of our campus regarding sexual assaults, the student activism, a new Title IX Coordinator being brought on board and the establishment for the first time of an actual Title IX Office, I felt this to be a great time to reprise the screening of this film (last time it was done was 2015 or 2016) and have a panel discussion afterward, especially as we gear up for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April,” Sheppard said.
Officials stressed that even if the survivor does not go through the legal system, they at least should consider reporting to the university.
“When I say we want people to report, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have to come to the police department: I want them to report it to at least Winthrop University. Because it allows Winthrop University to at least look into it. By doing that, it also allows us to provide individual resources for their mental health, physical health, things like that,” said Yearta.
There are many resources available to Winthrop University students who are survivors of sexual assault. These include the Office of Victims Assistance, the Title IX Office, the Winthrop University Police Department and off-campus resources like Safe Passage.
Students were impressed by the cultural event.
“I enjoyed last night’s event because I got to see for myself how open and transparent the faculty is under the leadership of Mr. Sheppard. It gave me hope that sexual assault on Winthrop’s campus has hope of being justly fought against, if not eradicated completely,” said freshman political science major Armon Robinson.
It is important to continue to promote awareness about sexual assault and to communicate with administration.
“I am open to meeting with any and everyone who would like to meet with me to discuss solutions on how we move forward. We can meet one-on-one or in small or large groups. I welcome the engagement of every single individual or group that is a part of this institution. My door is open to all. Let’s work together to create a cultural shift at Winthrop University,” Sheppard said.
