by Ashley Watts, Sports Editor
Northwestern Oklahoma State University believes that one sexual assault victim is too many.
The university held its annual sexual assault seminar on Sept. 27 in Herod Hall Auditorium. All athletes and freshmen are required to attend the seminar to learn about the dangers of sexual assault. This year, more than 500 people attended.
During the seminar, which lasted approximately one hour, six different individuals spoke to students. Calleb Mosburg, NWOSU’s Title IX coordinator, and Taylor Wilson, NWOSU’s guidance counselor, led the meeting. Members of the law enforcement and medical communities also spoke.
Brandy Johnson, who works with Northwest Domestic Crisis Services in Alva, assists sexual assault victims. She said she hopes that no one will have to experience sexual assault.
“I would love to do this job for my entire life, but I would love even more for my assistance to no longer be needed,” Johnson said.
Sexual assault is something that happens daily, according to some of the speakers. One speaker, a criminal investigator with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, used a PowerPoint presentation to detail certain statistics about sexual assault. One statistic showed that, seven times out of 10, a sexual assault victim knows the person by whom he or she was assaulted.
Presenters also discussed the repercussions of making “lewd” and “indecent” posts on social media. Unprofessional posts could cost an employee his job, and they could cost college students their scholarships. Social media also makes it easier to track a person’s location.
Two nurses from the YWCA of Enid, a pregnancy resource center, then spoke to the crowd. The nurses are called “SANE” nurses, as they are responsible for performing medical examinations on sexual assault victims. They discussed resources offered by the organization for sexual assault victims.
In the event of an emergency, contact the YWCA by calling 580-234-7644.
While it is mandatory for all freshmen and athletes to attend the seminar, not everyone made it this year. For those who were unable to attend the seminar, pamphlets discussing resources for sexual assault victims are available on campus.
“I feel that it is helpful to know the consequences that would occur if one were to act upon sexual violence, and [to be] informed of the resources that are available to see that they are not alone,” Wilson said.
The sexual assault seminar is open to all students. It is held annually at the beginning of the fall semester.