Contact: Maridith Geuder
An ongoing sexual assault awareness and prevention effort at Mississippi State is getting a boost from the state Department of Public Safety.
The university's Sexual Assault Prevention Program is receiving $51,000 from DPS's Office of Justice Programs. Among other areas, the money will support the annual Sexual Assault Awareness Week that last year drew more than 3,000 students, faculty and staff.
A part of the Division of Student Affairs, the MSU program also provides intervention through a sexual assault response team that includes counseling, law enforcement and health-care professionals, said coordinator Leigh Jensen.
She and Capt. Georgia Lindley, MSU Police Department special services coordinator, applied for the grant that is funded through the federal Stop Violence Against Women Program.
"MSU has taken a leadership role among state educational institutions in developing a strong set of policies dealing with sexual assault and its prevention," Jensen said. "More than five years ago, we adopted policies that are concrete, comprehensive and enforceable."
The grant additionally will enable enhanced educational programming for residence halls and fraternities and sororities.
"We know that nationally, about 80 percent of sexual assaults on any campus happen between acquaintances," Jensen said. "Education to prevent violence against women includes discussing issues such as safety, communication, responsible behavior, and penalties for violation of campus policy."
The education program also focuses on high-risk behaviors such as alcohol consumption and drug use, both of which "contribute significantly to the incidence of this crime," Jensen added.
"Mississippi State is committed to creating a culture of respect between men and women," she said. "Our program has received good evaluations on campus, and we will continue to build on our efforts to prevent sexual assault and make MSU safe for students."