SHARE creates rape survivors' group
Sommer Ann McCullough
Issue date: 11/10/09 Section: News
According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, one in six women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime - and college-age women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted.
Denison's Sexual Harassment and Rape Education (SHARE) formed a new support group on campus to help victims of rape or sexual assault on DU's campus: Survivors' Group.
"I want people to feel comfortable with utilizing our group," said Leah Taub, senior English and political science major and the student co-facilitator of Survivors' Group. "I hope that people take advantage of it if they need to, because I feel a lot of times that incidents like this are silenced on campus or not addressed. I hope this group will provide sexual assault victims a place to talk about their experiences and to talk about the trauma of such experiences."
Taub was approached with the idea last spring as a member of SHARE, and she met with Crystal Lapidus-Mann, staff counselor at Denison.
"[Lapidus-Mann] thought I had what it would entail in working together to develop it and be a good facilitator for the group," Taub said.
Survivors' Group has met three times so far this year, and Taub said that as of right now, the group meetings will be on hold until January because there is not yet a permanent space on campus where weekly meetings could be held.
According to Mary Cox, assistant dean of students and director for Alcohol, Drug and Health Education and the Women's Resource Center, Survivors' Group is a great resource for anyone whose life has been affected by sexual assault.
"Survivors can take friends with them, a partner of someone sexually assaulted, an affected other," said Cox, who is also the co-advisor for SHARE. "The majority of the women [in attendance] have been survivors themselves."
Taub said that she sees a possibility for the group to grow in many different ways, depending on who comes to the sessions.
"Crystal and I facilitate the discussion towards the needs of the people who are there," Taub said.
Cox lauded Lapidus-Mann, the group's faculty advisor, for her abilities within Survivors' Group.
"She has a very skillful way of opening conversations and safely helping young women," Cox said. "People are able to talk about their feelings, but make sure they feel safe enough to leave after being so vulnerable."
Taub said she wants students to be aware of the group's presence on Denison's campus and know that it is available for all who want to utilize it.
"It's an important resource for students and people who go through trauma to go somewhere they feel safe about talking and working to open up about the experience and help themselves," Taub said.
Denison's Sexual Harassment and Rape Education (SHARE) formed a new support group on campus to help victims of rape or sexual assault on DU's campus: Survivors' Group.
"I want people to feel comfortable with utilizing our group," said Leah Taub, senior English and political science major and the student co-facilitator of Survivors' Group. "I hope that people take advantage of it if they need to, because I feel a lot of times that incidents like this are silenced on campus or not addressed. I hope this group will provide sexual assault victims a place to talk about their experiences and to talk about the trauma of such experiences."
Taub was approached with the idea last spring as a member of SHARE, and she met with Crystal Lapidus-Mann, staff counselor at Denison.
"[Lapidus-Mann] thought I had what it would entail in working together to develop it and be a good facilitator for the group," Taub said.
Survivors' Group has met three times so far this year, and Taub said that as of right now, the group meetings will be on hold until January because there is not yet a permanent space on campus where weekly meetings could be held.
According to Mary Cox, assistant dean of students and director for Alcohol, Drug and Health Education and the Women's Resource Center, Survivors' Group is a great resource for anyone whose life has been affected by sexual assault.
"Survivors can take friends with them, a partner of someone sexually assaulted, an affected other," said Cox, who is also the co-advisor for SHARE. "The majority of the women [in attendance] have been survivors themselves."
Taub said that she sees a possibility for the group to grow in many different ways, depending on who comes to the sessions.
"Crystal and I facilitate the discussion towards the needs of the people who are there," Taub said.
Cox lauded Lapidus-Mann, the group's faculty advisor, for her abilities within Survivors' Group.
"She has a very skillful way of opening conversations and safely helping young women," Cox said. "People are able to talk about their feelings, but make sure they feel safe enough to leave after being so vulnerable."
Taub said she wants students to be aware of the group's presence on Denison's campus and know that it is available for all who want to utilize it.
"It's an important resource for students and people who go through trauma to go somewhere they feel safe about talking and working to open up about the experience and help themselves," Taub said.
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