9 tips for making a long-distance relationship work
Reading Time: 6 minutes Dating long distance? These communication tips can help keep your relationship on course.
Why reporting sexual assault is a complex and personal decision
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you or a friend have experienced sexual assault or harassment, itâs important to know that there isnât one ârightâ way to proceed. Here are some of the resources that are available to survivors.
A self-care plan for survivors of sexual assault and harassment
Reading Time: 8 minutes Try these self-care strategies after experiencing sexual assault or harassment.
What is the Title IX office and how can it help me?
Reading Time: 5 minutes The Title IX office is an important resource at your school that you should be familiar with. Hereâs why.
Smarter sexting: Thoughtful and respectful approaches to sexual messages
Reading Time: 6 minutes Learn the risks, etiquette, and damage-limitation strategies of sexting.
How to step in when you see someone experiencing unwanted pressure or harassment
Reading Time: 8 minutes Learn what you can do if you see someone experiencing unwanted pressure or harassment. Here are key strategies for bystander intervention.
What is alcohol myopia? And what does it mean for sexual consent?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Understanding the connection between alcohol and sexual assault can help us foster stronger, more respectful communities.
Supporting the whole person: Strategies to help sexual assault survivors of all identities
Reading Time: 10 minutes Certain sexual assault survivors may experience marginalization based on their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, class, sexual orientation, or gender. Keep these strategies in mind as you support your friend through this difficult time.
9 ways to support a friend in an abusive relationship
Reading Time: 17 minutes Do you suspect your friend is in an abusive relationship? Here’s how you can help.
Making social gatherings fun for everyone: A guide for hosts and guests
Reading Time: 11 minutes Social events are an important part of the college experience. Whether you’re a host or a guest, here’s how to make your next gathering fun for everyone.
How to talk to students about sexting
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Article sources
Sextingâdigitally sharing sexually explicit messages or picturesâhas become a common part of young peopleâs lives. While estimates of the prevalence of sexting vary, a study involving 1,650 first-year undergraduates at a large southeastern college found that 65 percent of the students had sent at least one sext to a current or potential partner.
Despite worries among many adults, sexting can be a healthy part of a sexual encounter. However, like any sexual interaction, it carries risks. Because sexting has become such a common phenomenon and one in which many young people report having positive experiences, itâs important that we adopt a harm-reduction strategy to help students mitigate the risks.
Hereâs how you can help develop productive conversations about sexting:
1. Talk about it.
Acknowledge that students may decide to sext. Even if students arenât planning on sexting themselves, itâs useful for them to reflect on how they might support a friend or handle an unsolicited message in their inbox.Â
2. Create a non-judgmental space.
Avoid using excessive fear tactics. Focusing exclusively on the risks of sexting can increase shame and victim blame, decreasing the likelihood that people who receive unwanted sexts or who have their image shared without their consent will seek help. Assume a non-judgmental attitude and invite students to reflect on ways they can minimize the risks of their sexual choices.
For example:
- Suggest that students talk to the person they’re messaging with about what types of messages they’re both comfortable with (e.g., they could agree to only send sexy messages instead of images).
- If they decide to send images, recommend that they leave out their faces or identifying marks such as tattoos or birthmarks.
- Stress the importance of maintaining privacy and respect by never sharing or forwarding sexts to others.
3. Broaden the conversation.
Sexting is just one piece of the broader campus culture surrounding sexuality. Give students opportunities to reflect on their core values and to consider ways to live out these values in all areas of their lives.
When explicit images are shared
If you learn that sexual images of a student were shared without their consent, offer the student support. This is a serious violation of trust, andâdepending on the specific circumstancesâmay constitute sexual harassment and may be a crime. Refer students to university counseling resources, as well as to Title IX coordinators.
âTitle IX coordinators are available to talk confidentially to any student who has concerns about an uncomfortable situation or experience,â says Ksenia Sidorenko, Title IX coordinator at Yale College in Connecticut. âStudents can come to a Title IX coordinator to let them know of problems or behaviors that need to be addressed, to access support resources, or to learn more about the options for filing a complaint of sexual misconduct. Title IX coordinators can also help arrange accommodations and practical remediesâthings like academic extensions, changes in class schedules, alternate housing arrangements, and no-contact agreements between students who want to avoid further interactions. They’re here to assist and support students based on the studentsâ needs.â
[school_resource sh101resources=’no’ category='[school_resource sh101resources=’no’ category=’healthservices,wellnesspromotion,studentservices,titleix,studentlife’]GET HELP OR FIND OUT MORE
If you are experiencing an issue with online harassment or stalking on campus,
your universityâs Title IX coordinator or a representative of the campus counseling center can help.
Someone asking you for a nude pic? Send this instead: Fight The New Drug
Article sources
Marla Eisenberg, ScD, MPH, associate professor and director of research, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota.
Holly Moses, PhD, MSHE, CHES, instructor, academic advisor, and internship program, coordinator in the Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida.
Ksenia Sidorenko, PhD, deputy Title IX coordinator for Yale College, Yale University.
Albury, K., Hasinoff, A. A., & Senft, T. (2017). From media abstinence to media production: Sexting, young people and education. In The Palgrave Handbook of Sexuality Education (pp. 527â545). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Burkett, M. (2015). Sex(t) talk: A qualitative analysis of young adultsâ negotiations of the pleasures and perils of sexting. Sexuality & Culture, 19(4), 835â863.
End Revenge Porn campaign. (2016). 26 states have revenge porn laws. Retrieved from http://www.endrevengeporn.org/revenge-porn-laws/
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2015, January). State sexting laws: A brief review of state sexting laws and policies. Retrieved from http://cyberbullying.us/state-sexting-laws.pdf
Knowledge Networks. (2009, September 23). Digital abuse survey. Retrieved from http://www.athinline.org/MTV-AP_Digital_Abuse_Study_Full.pdf
Lee, M., & Crofts, T. (2015). Gender, pressure, coercion and pleasure: Untangling motivations for sexting between young people. British Journal of Criminology, 55(3), 454â473.
Lounsbury, K., Mitchell, K. J., & Finkelhor, D. (2011, April 29). The true prevalence of sexting. Retrieved from http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Sexting%20Fact%20Sheet%204_29_11.pdf
Madigan, S., Ly, A., Rash, C. L., Van Ouytsel, J., et al. (2018). Prevalence of multiple forms of sexting behavior among youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(4), 327â335.
Meyer, M. I. (2016). Letâs talk about sext: Gendered millennial perceptions of sexting in a cyborg society (Doctoral dissertation, University of Cape Town).
Renfrow, D. G., & Rollo, E. A. (2014). Sexting on campus: Minimizing perceived risks and neutralizing behaviors. Deviant Behavior, 35(11), 903â920.
CampusWell survey, June 2015, August 2018.
Temple, J. R., Paul, J. A., van den Berg, P., Le, V. D., et al. (2012). Teen sexting and its association with sexual behaviors. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 166(9). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3626288/
Thomas, A. G., & Cauffman, E. (2014). Youth sexting as child pornography? Developmental science supports less harsh sanctions for juvenile sexters. New Criminal Law Review: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal, 17(4). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/nclr.2014.17.4.631?origin=JSTOR-pdf
Thomas, S. E. (2018). âWhat should I do?â: Young womenâs reported dilemmas with nude photographs. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 15(2), 192â207.
Winkelman, S. B., Smith, K. V., Brinkley, J., & Knox, D. (2014). Sexting on the college campus. Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, 17.
How to support students who have experienced sexual assault
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Article sources
Research has shown that student communities include many survivors of sexual abuse and assault. When survivors receive positive social support, they’re less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or substance abuse issues, research shows.
Survivors are most likely to disclose to a friend, but may come to staff or faculty seeking helpful resources and referrals. Hereâs how to prepare for that conversation.
Know what your college or university expects of you
If you’re a âresponsible employeeâ or âmandatory reporter,â and if it seems a student may be working up to disclosing an assault, explain up front to the student that you’re legally obligated to share such disclosures with the Title IX coordinator or equivalent colleague. If you’re unclear about your reporting obligations or have concerns about the limits of confidentiality, talk to your Title IX coordinator.
Know resources on and off campus
Familiarize yourself with resources that can support students who’ve experienced gender-based violenceâfor example, the Title IX office, counseling center, and local sexual assault crisis center.
Consider all facets of a studentâs identity
âTaking an intersectional approach when responding to a friend who has disclosed is crucial. An individualâs multiple identitiesâracial, socioeconomic, geographic, religiousâall intersect and can inform how easy or difficult it may be to navigate the services and information to help them,â says Nadiah Mohajir, founder and executive director of HEART Women & Girls, an organization that promotes sexual health and sexual violence awareness in Muslim communities.
Some students, particularly those who experience marginalization based on their identity, may be more comfortable connecting with a resource from their community (e.g., a counselor of color, a police officer who has worked with people with disabilities, or a religious professional). Reach out to your Title IX coordinator, who can tell you about resources such as multicultural and LGBTQ+ centers, chaplains, offices of international students, disability resource offices, and others.Â
Know the key messages for supporting survivors
- âThank you for sharing this with me.â
- âI want to support you. What do you think might be helpful?â
- âWould you like me to come with you to [helpful resource]?â
Read the full article:Â How to support sexual assault survivors of all identities
[school_resource sh101resources=’no’ category=’counselingservices,studentservices,titleix,residentlife,studentlife,helpdesk,titleix’]Get help or find out moreFind local advocacy and support: Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)
Live anonymous private consults: RAINN
Helping a friend after sexual assault: University of New Hampshire
Support a friend: Know Your IX
How to support a male friend: 1in6
Confidential chat: National Domestic Violence HotlineÂ
LGBTQ support (call, chat, or text): Trevor Project
Legal advice for sexual assault survivors in school: School Violence Law
Programs and resources for addressing sexual violence: One Student
Get the overview on trauma-informed prevention: Journal of Adolescent Health
Develop active listening skills: PsychCentralÂ
Bring an expert to campus: National Sexual Violence Resource Center
Kelly Addington, founder, One Student, Rearview, Florida.
Cristina Ayala, executive director, Asian American Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Boston, Massachusetts.
Melanie Boyd, PhD, assistant dean of student affairs; director, Office of Gender and Campus Culture, Yale University in Connecticut; and lecturer in women, gender, and sexuality studies at Yale University in Connecticut.
Nadiah Mohajir, founder and executive director, HEART Women & Girls, Chicago, Illinois.
Neville, H. A., & Pugh, A. O. (1997). General and culture-specific factors influencing African American womenâs reporting patterns and perceived social support following sexual assault: An exploratory investigation. Violence Against Women, 3(4), 361â381.
Powers, L. E., Curry, M. A., Oschwald, M., & Maley, S. (2002). Barriers and strategies in addressing abuse: A survey of disabled womenâs experiences. Journal of Rehabilitation, 68(1), 4.
Sabina, C., & Ho, L. Y. (2014). Campus and college victim responses to sexual assault and dating violence: Disclosure, service utilization, and service provision. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15(3), 201â226.
Sable, M. R., Danis, F., Mauzy, D. L., & Gallagher, S. K. (2006). Barriers to reporting sexual assault for women and men: Perspectives of college students. Journal of American College Health, 55(3), 157â162.
Tillman, S., Bryant-Davis, T., Smith, K., & Marks, A. (2010). Shattering silence: Exploring barriers to disclosure for African American sexual assault survivors. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 11(2), 59â70.
Todahl, J. L., Linville, D., Bustin, A., Wheeler, J., & Gau, J. (2009). Sexual assault support services and community systems: Understanding critical issues and needs in the LGBTQ community. Violence Against Women, 15(8), 952â976.