The Daily Bulletin Archive

Students survivors of sexual violence often encounter many challenges on campus, as well as during the investigation/prosecution of a case. One challenge survivors often experience occurs when their behaviors does not match what society expects from victims. For instance, after being assaulted, a student may call their friend or take a shower instead of reporting the incident to law enforcement. Such behaviors are perceived to be counterintuitive. For this reason, it is critical for law enforcement and judicial affairs to further enhance their understanding of survivor behavior and victimology in order to be more sensitive towards the survivor and to also be better equipped to engage in an investigation process that will ultimately lead to successful prosecution.