Central Michigan Life

What was known as CMU’s Sexual Assault Services is now being called Sexual Aggression Services to better define the sex-related problems students face.

Words are the primary source for communication, and in dealing with issues such as sexual assault or sexual aggression, the choice of words to describe an organization is important, said Steve Thompson, Sexual Aggression Services coordinator.

For eight years, the program was known as Sexual Assault Services for multiple reasons. They changed the name last week because they found students have to deal with things like aggressive relationships and stalkers.

“When we started in 1996, the name seemed to just fit what we were  doing, but since then, we have learned about sexual aggression,” Thompson said. “Therefore, the name change was vital.”

Of long term relationships at CMU, 20 percent of them become very aggressive, Thompson said.

By changing the name, people become more in tune to what the service actually does, said John Johnstin, Sexual Assault Peer Advocate and Greenville graduate student.

Sexual Aggression Services creates an infrastructure within the university community to battle rape, stalking, harassment, domestic violence and date rape drugs by working with the CMU Police Department, sexual assault nurse examiners, sexual assault peer advocates and many others.

“I believe the change was good because we do not only deal with sexual assault, and the change to ‘aggression’ causes people to be more aware of the reoccurring problem,” Johnstin said. “A girl may not realize that guy who never stops calling and always knows where she is sexual assault, but changing the word assault to aggression may help her think, ‘Maybe he was very aggressive, and I need some help.’”

It makes people understand that there is more to sexual aggression, Thompson said.

“For someone who has gone through a sexual assault or has witnessed aggression, they sometimes don’t know where to turn,” said Susanne Stefanski, Monroe graduate assistant. “They may not think they have been assaulted, and the change in the name will open doors for survivors to receive more power to get help.”

It causes everyone involved to be consistent in the way they deal with sexual aggression.

“This also gives us more credibility within the community,” Stefanski said.

Sexual Aggression Services provides a 24-hour telephone hotline. Anyone who has been exposed to sexual aggression or knows some one who has may call and be assisted or be directed to a service that can offer further help.

Sexual Assault Peer Advocates, a student organization, are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to intervene in a crisis, advocate legal action and refer victims to a counselor.

They also coordinate No Zebras, a general presentation about sexual aggression, and presentations for men, defining sexual aggression, teaching them how to be supportive of survivors and encouraging them to battle sexually aggressive ideas and actions.

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