As a victim of a crime, you may be eligible for monetary assistance. Assistance may include compensation for medical expenses, counseling, rehabilitation, and loss of earnings resulting from an injury that is the direct result of a crime. Claims should be filed within one year; however, there are exceptions for child victims of sexual abuse and upon petition for good cause. You can get a claim form from Crime Victim Services Commission, the local Prosecuting Attorney, any State Police post, or from SAPAC.
Although great strides have been made to address sexual assault and dating and domestic violence on college campuses, the rates of violence remain quite high and many barriers still exist for survivors in seeking services. At the University of Michigan, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) is one place that provides assistance for survivors. We provide educational and supportive services for the campus community related to sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and sexual harassment.
Friday, November 30th, the Men’s Activism (MA) volunteer group hosted their second annual Beard Championships. Over 270 men on campus pledged to participate in the MA’s No Shave November for Consent, during which the men vowed to grow beards to raise awareness about the need for consent...
Many resources exist within the community and throughout the state that can assist you in this process. Please contact us at SAPAC if you have questions or concerns, or if you need support or assistance.
Battering is the most sophisticated form of brain washing that exists. The batterer tells his partner that she is the most important person in the world to him and that he can't live without her.
Many myths exist in our society about sexual assault that serve to justify the offense. Rape myths often involve victim-blaming statements about sexual assault such as, "She wouldn’t have gotten raped if she hadn’t been walking alone at night,” or "What did she expect would happen if she went upstairs with him?" These myths help place the blame on the wrong person (the victim or survivor) instead of where it belongs (on the perpetrator).
You are a witness in the state’s case against the assailant. You will be subpoenaed to testify during the criminal process. The prosecuting attorney or city attorney will present the case on behalf of the “people of the State of Michigan” and does not represent you specifically. However, as the victim of a crime, you do have certain rights. You can contact the prosecuting attorney or city attorney’s office to find out which prosecutor is working on the case. You can contact that attorney with any questions you have about the criminal case.
SAPAC’s six volunteer co-coordinators were honored to be invited by Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones to President Barack Obama’s January 27th speech. They were even more excited to learn that they would be sharing the stage with the president, standing behind him with many other student leaders and campus staff. President Obama spoke primarily about the need to make a college education more accessible to low-income students, and outlined a plan to incentivize universities lowering tuition.
Individuals outside your immediate circle of loved ones can also provide support and acceptance that may aid in your recovery. You are the person to determine the type of help that is most useful for you. If you are a University of Michigan student, staff, faculty or alumni, please consider using SAPAC as a resource. If you are a Michigan resident, keep in mind that throughout the state of Michigan there are rape crisis centers that offer advocacy and counseling. Don’t hesitate to seek help from these programs.
The Men’s Activism Program hosted a Super Smash Bros tournament called Smash for Safehouse on March 31, 2012. Thirty-five participants competed for the top prize of a Kindle 4G as well as the glory of Super Smash Bros supremacy. The MAs worked closely with UMSmash, a student group on campus who frequently put on similar tournaments; this group provided Gamecubes, controllers, and a program to create brackets. All proceeds from the entry fee went to buy games, controllers, and other equipment for children staying at Safehouse.
Sexual assault has traditionally been used by men to disempower and frighten women, just as racism has been used to disempower and frighten people of color. The sexual assault of women of color, therefore, is often a combination of both racist and sexist attitudes. These attitudes, compounded with certain stereotypes, magnify the sexual vulnerability of various groups of women of color.
The purpose of this section is to familiarize the reader with how SafeHouse Center of Washtenaw County and the state of Michigan define dating and domestic violence. In addition, it is designed to provide an overview of the various forms of abuse such as emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. It is imperative that panelists have a complete understanding of definitions and types of abuse before hearing a dating or domestic violence-related case. Please note that there are many overlaps between sexual assault and dating and domestic violence.
“A comprehensive campus policy includes a listing of possible sanctions that can be imposed following a determination that an accused student is responsible for violating the sexual misconduct policy..." Read this article for more information about sanctions at the University of Michigan.
I would say the main thing SAPAC has given me is confidence. In SAPAC I am surrounded by intelligent women and men whose dedication and compassion is inspiring. From other volunteers and professional staff, I feel more confident to stand up for what I believe in. Lindsay Walker
There is no standard response to domestic violence. Often times when the person experiences the first physical incident of violence they are in disbelief and/or denial, and feel responsibility, shame and/or embarrassment. They find themselves concerned about protecting the family image and see this as a one-time only incident. They may believe that if they change their behavior, the violence will stop. They may try to become more pleasing, try to be a better partner, or on the other hand become more determined to end the relationship.
