One in four college women will experience rape or attempted rape before they graduate, according to Elon University Student Health and Wellness. Elon takes extensive measures to both lower this statistic within the Elon community and help victims of sexual abuse recover.  

The Elon Student Health and Wellness program defines the foundation of sexual violence prevention through three main pillars: violence support, consent education and bystander intervention.  

All programs sponsored by the Elon Student Health and Wellness sponsors are based on these three concepts.  

“The first thing that we offer to everyone is workshops on consent, healthy relationships and being an active bystander,” said Becca Patterson, coordinator for health promotion.  

Students are initially engaged in activities that start a dialogue about health topics during new student orientation. Orientation Leaders facilitate conversation and prepare new students to handle situations which may involve sexual assault.  

Resident Assistants, Orientation Leaders, Greek house captains and all common leaders undergo training on how to react to situations of sexual assault and how to help victims.  

“Peer educators are the best way to communicate with students about topics that impact them,” Patterson said.

Organizations like SPARKS (Students Promoting Awareness, Responsibility, Knowledge and Success), Alpha Chi Omega and EFFECT (Elon Feminists For Equality, Change, and Transformation) sponsor a variety of events each semester that spread awareness about sexual violence throughout campus.  

Take Back the Night, the Consent is Sexy campaign, the Clothesline Project and the Walk Against Victim Blaming are just a few of Elon’s more well-known events.  

Student Health Services seeks to speak directly to students and teach them prevention measures through workshops offered by SPARKS for organizations and classes.    

According to research by clinical psychologist David Lisak, 5-7 percent of males on a college campus commit sexual assault. Of that percentage, two-thirds are repeat offenders and have a minimum of eight victims on average. 

“The majority of people who are perpetrating sexual violence do so intentionally,” Patterson said. 

According to Elon Health and Wellness, awareness is the best way to stop this cycle. Bystanders must learn to be active and not stand by as sexual assault proliferates.   

Health Services also provides survivor support for victims of sexual abuse.  

“Ultimately, the student has to decide what feels comfortable for them,” Patterson said. “Survivors can receive confidential support to hear about their options and can go to counseling.”

SAFEline, a 24/7 hotline, is available for students to call anonymously, at 336-278-3333, for resources and aid related to sexual abuse.

Despite the extensive measures that the Health and Wellness program takes to teach students about sexual assault prevention and survivor support, many students feel they aren’t aware of what Elon is doing around campus.

“I think students should be made more aware of any measures taken to prevent sexual abuse,” said sophomore Emma Thayer. “Without being informed, no one can utilize the safety precautions.”

Students are aware that their first resource in an abusive crisis is Campus Security or Elon Police, but they may be unaware of how to pursue further assistance.

“There are Campus Security and Elon Police around campus, and I know the blue light system and response times are very quick,” Thayer said. “Campus Security can be utilized for rides home late at night from other locations on campus.”

“Getting people to attend events is something we struggle with,” Patterson said. “We are reaching out to student organizations specifically to bring us in for workshops.”

Health Services currently partners with campus organizations to try to reach out to students. They try to connect more directly through Twitter, SPARKS and EFFECT.  

“Culture change happens through the little things,” Patterson said. “It is important to give people real skills that they can use and show them how things like our language can influence culture.”

Elon’s health promotion programs seek to guide students to change their attitudes and perceptions of sexual abuse, although students like Thayer feel programs could still go farther. 

“One student being aware of sexual abuse prevention isn’t the same as the entire student body being made aware,” she said.

Patterson said even small changes to student’s perceptions on things like language can grow to have a larger impact on campus.

“If we can interrupt the little things, then we will feel more confident with intervening on the bigger things,” she said.