Around Campus
Sexual Assault Policy, Procedures, and Resources
Illinois Central College recognizes that sexual assault, dating & domestic violence, and stalking are serious issues in our society as well as on the college campus.
ICC seeks to ensure that members of its campus community are aware that such behavior is prohibited by law and by College policy, and that Illinois Central College will not tolerate acts of sexual assault, dating & domestic violence, or stalking in any form, including rape, on its campus.
Illinois Central College is committed to educate the college community in order to prevent occurrences of sexual violence. Illinois Central College will provide information to all faculty, staff, and students regarding the definitions of sexual assault, dating & domestic violence, and stalking, how to prevent them, and how to report incidents of sexual assault, dating & domestic violence, or stalking. ICC will provide assistance and support to victims of sexual assault, dating & domestic violence, and stalking and take appropriate actions to correct and discipline behavior that is found to violate the College policy or state regulations regarding these offenses.
Sexual Assault Policy
Domestic Violence Policy
Sexual Assault Procedures
Effects of Trauma
Sexual Violence: Consequences
Sexual violence can have harmful and lasting consequences for victims, families, and communities. The following list describes some of those consequences.
Physical
More than 32,000 pregnancies result from rape every year with the highest rates of rape-induced pregnancy reported by women in abusive relationships. Some long-term consequences of sexual violence include:
- Chronic pain
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Gynecological complications
- Migraines and other frequent headaches
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Cervical cancer
- Genital injuries
Psychological
Victims of sexual violence face both immediate and chronic psychological consequences. Immediate psychological consequences include the following:
- Shock
- Denial
- Fear
- Confusion
- Anxiety
- Withdrawal
- Shame or guilt
- Nervousness
- Distrust of others
- Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
- Emotional detachment
- Sleep disturbances
- Flashbacks
- Mental replay of assault
- Chronic psychological consequences include the following: Depression, Generalized anxiety, Attempted or completed suicide, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Diminished interest/avoidance of sex, Low self-esteem/self-blame
Social
Sexual violence also has social impacts on its victims, such as the following:
- Strained relationships with family, friends, and intimate partners
- Less emotional support from friends and family
- Less frequent contact with friends and relatives
- Lower likelihood of marriage
- Isolation or ostracism from family or community
Health Risk Behaviors
Sexual violence victimization is associated with several health risk behaviors. Some researchers view the following health behaviors as both consequences of sexual violence and factors that increase a person’s vulnerability to being victimized again in the future.
- Engaging in high-risk sexual behavior
- Unprotected sex
- Early sexual initiation
- Choosing unhealthy sexual partners
- Having multiple sex partners
- Trading sex for food, money, or other items
- Using harmful substances
- Smoking cigarettes
- Drinking alcohol
- Drinking alcohol and driving
- Taking drugs
- Unhealthy diet-related behaviors
- Fasting
- Vomiting
- Abusing diet pills
- Overeating
- Delinquency and criminal behavior
- Failure to engage in healthy behaviors, such as motor vehicle seat belt use
Information on the Consequences of Sexual Violence was obtained from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/consequences.html
Role of Drugs and Alcohol
What is drug-facilitated sexual assault?
Drug-facilitated sexual assault occurs when alcohol or drugs are used to compromise an individual’s ability to consent to sexual activity. These substances make it easier for a perpetrator to commit sexual assault because they inhibit a person’s ability to resist and can prevent them from remembering the assault. Drugs and alcohol can cause diminished capacity, a legal term that varies in definition from state to state.
You may have heard the term “date rape drugs” to refer to substances that can aid a perpetrator in committing sexual assault. Drug-facilitated sexual assault can happen to anyone, by anyone, whether the perpetrator is a date, a stranger, or someone you’ve known for a while.
How does a perpetrator use drugs and alcohol?
Drug-facilitated sexual assault occurs in two ways: when the perpetrator takes advantage of a victim’s voluntary use of drugs or alcohol or when the perpetrator intentionally forces a victim to consume drugs without their knowledge.
Some victims blame themselves for drinking too much at a party or putting themselves in a potentially dangerous situation. It’s important to remember that if a sexual assault occurs under these circumstances, it is still not your fault. The blame falls on the perpetrator who took advantage of you.
A perpetrator may intentionally drug a victim, resulting in a situation where it is easy to manipulate the circumstances and commit an assault. Perpetrators use a variety of substances to incapacitate a victim.
Alcohol is the most commonly used substance in drug-facilitated sexual assault.
Prescription drugs like sleep aids, anxiety medication, muscle relaxers, and tranquilizers may also be used by perpetrators.
Street drugs, like GHB, rohypnol, ecstasy, and ketamine can be added to drinks without changing the color, flavor, or odor of the beverage.
Sexual Assault Resources
The Sexual Assault Response Team is a standing team that serves the college and community by providing support for survivors/victims of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking on campus, by developing appropriate education and training opportunities for students and staff, and by working with campus and community law enforcement and service providers to jointly serve as the community task force specified in state mandate 110 ILCS 12/10 for the purpose of “improving coordination between community leaders and service providers to prevent sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and to ensure a coordinated response both in terms of law enforcement and survivor/victim services.” If you or a friend has been a victim of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and/or stalking, please call SART at (309)694-5573. We can assist you with resources and on campus advocacy to help you through this trauma. Below are community, state, and national resource that can provide you with services and/or information in regards to sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and/or stalking.