Spring Break
Panhellenic Association hosts self-defense session
Rachel Perron
Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: Campus
|
The program, comprised of talks from a Miami University Police Department (MUPD) officer and two HAWKS peer health educators, was intended to teach attendants to make smart choices in "sticky situations," according to standards board member Emma McGuire.
A risk management program was an idea many sorority chapters expressed to Panhellenic's Standards Board over the past year, according to Vice President of Standards Amanda Makulec.
According to the Panhellenic Web site, the standards board was created to monitor and review complaints against members of sororities and also to oversee the Greek alcohol policy.
"When a Night Out Goes Wrong," lasted one hour in an attempt to be shorter and more manageable for students, Makulec said. She also said the event was only offered to sorority members, since they were unsure of the response and because members the Greek community are Panhel's first priority.
First to speak was MUPD Sgt. Scott Smith, discussing the principles of self-defense in addition to passing out emergency contact numbers and information on date rape drugs and techniques for escaping predators.
"No. 1 is pay attention," Smith said. "You can only defend yourself if you know what's going on."
Later in a question and answer session, audience members brought up the issue of under-aged students who had been drinking and risking arrest by calling the police for help.
"Miami's main concern is its students," Smith responded. "I cannot promise an officer would not arrest you, but we will always make decisions in students' best interest."
He went on to encourage students to always call for help, and said he had no knowledge of students being arrested in such situations.
"But if you're under-aged and drinking, you can always be arrested," he said.
Sarah Pearcy and Laura Esch, two HAWKS peer health educators, spoke in the second half of the hour-long event on characteristics of sexual assault and ways to stay safe.
Audience members were involved and creative when asked to share ideas for how to deal with vulnerable scenarios-such as walking home alone and friends who've consumed too much alcohol. Responses included always walking on streets where friends live, and going out with people who will monitor each other's behavior, especially when it comes to drinking.
Pearcy and Esch also provided the MUPD's statistics for last year, reporting 163 thefts, 48 burglaries, 13 aggravated assaults and 10 sexual assaults on campus.
"We wanted to give students information to reflect on personal experiences and discuss with the group," Esch said.
At the end, Pearcy and Esch gave information on the health department's counseling resources for victims of sexual assault.
The current standards board, whose term ends in December, has not planned any additional risk management programs according to Makulec, but Panhellenic has the resources and contact information for future boards as well as sororities to hold such events.
Be the first to comment on this story