Miami University's newly hired coordinator of sexual assault, Nicole Hall, spent her first semester at Miami working to educate students, faculty and staff on the prevention of sexual assault.
One of Hall's goals since the fall has been to create a female equivalent to MARS: Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault. She has done just that by creating the organization WAVES, otherwise known as Women Against Violence and Sexual Assault.
"WAVES has two main goals," Hall said. "One is to provide education and awareness in the form of presentations and the other is to form awareness through big campus events."
Hall did recruiting and training for WAVES throughout the fall and there are now five members.
"I feel that's very important for the students doing the peer education and know everything inside and out," Hall said about training the members of WAVES. "We really want it to be very organized and for it to be quality."
Hall wants participants in the program to be well informed of the information that will be presented on sexual assault education and awareness so they are able to give others the correct information.
Programs were done in December at various residence halls and for sororities, and the group has teamed up with specific organizations on campus to bring a sexual assault prevention component to different events, according to Hall.
"We've made tremendous strides in the six months I've been here in figuring out a purpose and where we're heading," Hall said about WAVES.
Jane Goettsch, director of the Women's Center at Miami, was involved in hiring Hall.
"I and several other colleagues were instrumental in developing a proposal to hire a coordinator," Goettsch said. "It's a new position and she's new in it but from everything I can tell she's doing a great job of defining the position and the role of the position on campus."
Goettsch works with Hall to keep the campus aware of sexual assault and prevention methods by every couple months serving on a committee-comprised by Hall and made up of staff from throughout campus-that thinks of ways to keep the community informed.
The issue is in the interest of the Women's Center particularly because women are primary victims of sexual assault, according to Goettsch.
"I think the more we can get this in the mindset of students that there is an issue and that everyone is affected, the better off we are," Goettsch said. "It's important that we're all aware of the issue and informed about it."
Hall and Goettsch said they both have the resources for sexual assault victims.
"I'm also a victim advocate," Hall said. "I'm here to talk to people about their choices and options."
In addition to Hall being available to talk to students, there is an updated Web site (http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/sexualassault/) and brochures are available at the Student Health Services Center.
Currently, Hall has been working with IT Services to develop a new brochure on sexual assault.
"We're developing a new brochure like a fold-out business card," Hall said. "This way it's something people can always have with them."
The brochures will include resources for students, so information on sexual assault and how to get help is easily available.
WAVES will be at the Vagina Monologues this weekend to pass out information and on Feb. 26, Sex Signals, a two-person comedy act, will visit Miami to educate about sexual assault in a more humorous manner.
