Although Penn State has always been seen as a safe, caring society, it is more important than ever to look out for one another on campus. Sexual assault happens more often than most people think, especially among college students.
For victims dealing with the aftermath of an incident, there is a sexual assault and relationship violence hotline here at Penn State. Calling this number offers the support and advice from trained counselors who will provide the appropriate resources. The line provides services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and can be reached at 1-800-550-7575.
There are also emotional support services available at CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services). Call 814-863-0395 to make an appointment today.
There are many helpful support systems here on campus, but now students and staff are doing more than ever to try and diminish this problem by implementing proactive solution programs. While these resources are extremely important and helpful, Penn State now has a bystander intervention program that is focusing on prevention, called Stand For State. This group focuses on educating students about sexual and relationship violence, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse.
According to the website, “The initiative’s aim is to create the norm that, ultimately, everyone plays a role in watching out for each other because everyone deserves to be safe.”
The main goal for Stand For State participants is to utilize the “3D’s” rule, which stands for Direct, Distract, Delegate. This is a way for students to safely intervene when they see something that doesn’t seem right.
Direct
“This approach just means you are directly interacting with the people involved in the situation and addressing that you are concerned.”
Distract
“If you see a situation and can think of a way to divert and diffuse the situation, distract is an option.”
Delegate
“If you ever feel unsafe, always delegate. When you recognize a concerning situation and you are uncomfortable saying something yourself or you feel like someone else is better suited to handle it, delegating is a solid option. To delegate is to ask someone else to help in the situation. This also notifies someone else of what is going on and that something needs to be done.”
Penn State is one big family and we are all a part of a united community, and should help each other whenever we can.
Students and faculty are able to sign up for intervention training programs and information sessions through the link on the website.
To learn more about the program and what you can do for bystander intervention, visit standforstate.psu.edu.
