UC Davis observes Sexual Assault Awareness month

4.21.11

Dear UC Davis Community Members:

The month of April has been designated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our campus commitment to reducing sexual assault, as well as other types of sexual and gender-based violence. This kind of violence is all too prevalent on college campuses today, and ending it will require all of us to take action.

I invite your participation in the effort to put an end to sexual assault, stalking, and dating and domestic violence on our campus and beyond. Please join your campus community at the annual Take Back the Night rally on Tuesday, April 26, at the UC Davis Quad from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. For more information about the April 26 rally and other events during the month, please contact Sarah Meredith at the Campus Violence Prevention Program, sameredith@ucdavis.edu.

Most incidents of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and stalking go unreported. On college campuses in the U.S., reporting rates for sexual assault are estimated to be only 5 percent of what is actually happening. Survivors say that among the reasons they are reluctant to report such assaults is the fear that they will not be believed or will be blamed for what happened. In order to support survivors and begin to hold perpetrators accountable, we must change the culture in our communities. We must all learn more about these problems and engage one another in seeking solutions, including addressing unwanted behaviors before the violence occurs.

At UC Davis, our efforts to address sexual violence are being aided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women. The grant has supported the development of a Coordinated Community Response Team; specialized training for UC Davis Police officers and Student Judicial Affairs staff in responding to these crimes; and mandatory education for all incoming students. The grant has also made it possible for our campus to increase collaboration with the nine other campuses in the UC system in order to share knowledge and best practices.

The Coordinated Community Response Team brings together members of numerous departments and community agencies, including, from campus: UC Davis Police Department, Campus Violence Prevention Program, Student Housing, LGBT Resource Center, Cross Cultural Center, Judicial Affairs, Title IX, Counseling and Psychological Services, Intercollegiate Athletics, Sexual Harassment Education, and Student Disability Services. The community organizations represented are: Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center, Women Escaping Abusive and Violent Environments, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, Yolo County Sheriff’s Department and the Davis Police Department.

Your personal safety and your sense of security at UC Davis are of utmost importance to us. Remember that if you need support, or have questions about reporting to the university or to campus or local law enforcement, you can talk confidentially with an advocate in the Campus Violence Prevention Program by calling (530) 754-6387.

Best,

Linda P.B. Katehi
Chancellor, UC Davis