April is Sexual Assault Prevention Month, and the university is focusing on two areas of prevention on Campus: feedback and training.
As they do every year, the university is participating in the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Changing Campus Culture Initiative. The initiative was created in 2015 after over 100 students reported sexual assaults on Ohio campuses in 2013.
On their website, the Ohio Department of Higher Education states that “a single act of sexual violence is one too many. Ohio seeks to strengthen its ability to better respond to, and ultimately prevent, sexual assault on the state’s college campuses.”
The department also recognized that many cases go unreported due to lack of institutional trust, so they set out to address this issue with the initiative.
Ohio is one of only a few states in the nation to have a comprehensive, state-funded approach to addressing sexual violence on campus.
In compliance with this new initiative, the university sent out their yearly survey to gauge student experiences on campus. The survey is voluntary, but students who complete it are entered into a raffle for a $50 gift card.
The anonymous survey is available through emails sent to all current students at the university.
Some people may be uncomfortable completing the survey. Some questions are personal and others pertain to unwanted sexual behavior. The university suggests that any student who experiences discomfort exit the survey before completion.
The university is also continuing to offer Title IX training, as they do every spring semester. This year the training is focused around consent and should be completed by students before the end of the academic school year.
This training is also available through emails sent to current students.
To further educate and fight against sexual assault, the university has sent resources to students and faculty, that they can use to make reports or get support.
Additionally, the email, titleix@capital.edu, is always available for students and faculty to report sexual harassment and to get support.
The full university policy on sexual harassment can be found on the university website.
For confidential conversations around any Title IX and sexual harassment issues, students can reach out to the Center for Health and Wellness at chw@capital.edu or 614-236-6114. Students can also contact Pastor Dan Hille at dhille@capital.edu.
