Addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
Effective October 1, 2020, the College was awarded the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Grant to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Campus Program (Campus Program). The OVW Campus Program is a three-year grant that will primarily focus on prevention programming, but it will also strengthen victim services and help to provide trauma-informed trainings for key faculty and staff.
The Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) is one of the five planning areas of the grant. In broad terms, a CCRT is an approach communities or institutions use to achieve a shared goal or vision across various disciplines. Specific to the OVW, a CCRT approach ensures a timely, culturally relevant, and respectful response to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking (SADVDVS) committed on or off campus. This multi-faceted approach is inclusive of prevention (i.e., awareness and education) and intervention (i.e., response and recovery) efforts. The CCRT is composed of campus and community partners who meet regularly to assess, plan, monitor, and evaluate these efforts within the context of the College. This team will:
- coordinate all prevention and intervention efforts
- facilitate communication between key campus departments and community partners
- engage key campus departments and community partners in program planning, policy development, training, and event collaboration
- ensure messages across efforts are consistent and mutually reinforced
- evaluate compliance of policies including Clery Act, Title IX, and other relevant state and federal policies
- intentionally foster and promote strategies that are culturally relevant, inclusive of historically marginalized or underrepresented communities, and infused with healthy masculinity frameworks
- ensure the system’s response to survivors is seamless, consistent, and supportive
- allow all students, faculty, and staff to learn from each other through shared mutual respect and life experiences
- foster dialogue that values evidence-based practice, practice-based research, and self-care
- support a culture of excellence that lasts beyond campus experiences
Mission Statement
To cultivate and support a campus environment that is free from sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking through increased education, response, and campus engagement.
Vision
The Wilmington College Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) envisions a campus environment where sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking is not tolerated, prevention is emphasized, and responses to survivors on campus are consistent, inclusive, and empowering.
Values
In addition to Wilmington College’s Quaker-inspired core values – integrity, community, diversity, excellence, peace & social justice, respect for all persons, and service & civic engagement – We value:
Safety
We oppose the use of all forms of violence and believe that all persons have the right to live without the threat of violence.
Trustworthiness & Transparency
We believe that we must earn the trust of the people we serve through transparency and encouragement of thoughtful evaluation of our efforts.
Confidentiality
We recognize that students will encounter faculty, staff, and community partners with varying confidentiality terms and will make every effort to educate them on these different terms to ensure they understand the legal and campus obligations of those persons. It is important to us that survivors understand confidentiality terms before sharing their story.
Consistency
The OVW Campus Program is a three-year grant, but we are dedicated to continuing efforts beyond the grant term. We also recognize that we are responsible for promoting the messaging of the CCRT throughout the year and potentially advocating for structural changes that can ensure messaging is reflected in our campus-wide policies and procedures.
Empowerment
We believe that educating people on sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking will significantly impact the prevention of these crimes as well as provide the necessary skills for allyship.
Well-being & Healing
We believe that all survivors have the right to support services that promote self-determination and, within our laws and campus policies, will encourage this in prevention and response systems. We also recognize that as allies, we must take care of ourselves as we continue to support prevention and intervention efforts.
Engagement & Collaboration
We commit to create an environment for students, faculty, staff, and community partners that fosters critical thinking and initiative.
Cultural Humility
We believe that prevention and intervention efforts should be inclusive and tailored to the population’s specific needs. Cultural humility requires us to put our assumptions to the side and encourages us to ask questions and listen. We also recognize that prevention programs and resources should be accessible, inclusive, and representative of diverse populations.
Offender Accountability
We believe that sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are serious crimes and offenders should be held accountable.
The point-of-contact for questions, comments, or concerns regarding grant activities is the OVW Project Director/ Director of Violence Prevention & Education at Wilmington College. Please call 937.481.2325 (x325) or email prevention@wilmington.edu.
Core CCRT Members (meet bi-monthly):
- Kazi McDowell, Director of Counseling Services
- Nick Hoover, Director of Housing & Residence Life
- Nina Scott, Director of Campus Safety
- Kimber Geissinger, Campus Advocate
- Chip Murdock, Director of Diversity & Inclusion
- Micah Mills, Assistant Director of Athletics
- Sigrid Solomon, VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students/Title IX Coordinator
- Je’Taysia Johns, Assistant to the VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
General CCRT Members (meet bi-annually):
- Nancy McCormick, Campus Minister
- Wendy Grab, Assistant Professor of Social Work
- Nicole Wilkes, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
- Dara Gullette, Executive Director of Alternatives to Violence Center (community partner)