Editor’s Note—The information in this story may be triggering for members of the campus community who have experienced dating violence. The victim’s pronouns have been anonymized.
Each year, the University of Utah releases its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, detailing crime statistics across campus, as mandated by state and federal law.
This year, the report of 2023 crimes includes a substantial increase in the number of sexual assaults reported—what appears to be a surge from 30 cases in 2022 to 175 last year. But looking closer at the numbers, 150 of those reported sexual assaults occurred in a single relationship plagued by a history of coercion and interpersonal violence.
In a January 2023 conversation with a University of Utah Police Department (UUPD), a student reported an almost-daily pattern of nonconsensual sex with their ex-partner—both on and off campus. During the seven-month relationship, which spanned 2021 and 2022, at times he stalked the student, following them into campus housing. And threatened the student physically—sometimes with a gun.
Now, nearly a year later, the student reported the abuse. The victim has worked with UUPD crime victim advocates over the past year and has connected with services for future support but did not want to pursue charges.
Over the past several years, University Department of Public Safety leaders have implemented practices to improve trauma-informed responses within the department and in briefings across campus—to Student Affairs, the Center for Campus Wellness, Housing and Residential Education (HRE), ASUU and the Academic Senate, among other groups.
In consultation with the Clery Center and Westat, an advisor for institutions working to comply with the federal law, the U Public Safety Clery team is reporting the total number of sexual assaults the victim-survivor confirmed, rather than a single case. While annual safety reports are typically posted by Oct. 1, the news is being released to the broader campus community on Sept. 19.
Repeating last year’s mantra, “I hear you and I believe you,” Chief Safety Officer Keith Squires said the university takes this behavior very seriously. “We recognize that intimate partner violence can be a singular event or a pattern of behavior that occurs over multiple years,” he added. “We believe our community members.”
With that commitment in mind, public safety leaders and community advocates urged members of the campus community to contemplate and learn about the complexity of unhealthy relationships and interpersonal violence.
University Communications consulted with multiple victim-advocate agencies to inform the following frequently asked questions:
FAQs
“Dating violence usually includes more than just physical violence,” Badger said. “There’s usually some form of emotional abuse, coercion. A lot of times there’s a concerted effort by the perpetrator to isolate that person from their support system. Even when people know that they’re in a really dangerous relationship, sometimes it can feel lethal if you try to leave.”
Control over the victim is paramount in the relationship. It may involve power control, financial control, jealousy, manipulation and stalking, and can escalate over time or be cyclical in nature.
“Although we often think of sexual assault as a one-time thing that happens in hook-ups or is perpetuated by strangers, it can also be another way that abusers control their partners,” Chris Linder, director of the McCluskey Center for Violence Prevention and professor of Educational Leadership & Policy said. “Sexual assault and rape can and do happen in dating relationships, sometimes as a pattern of control.
In Utah, rape is defined as sexual intercourse without the individual’s consent, which is an explicit, informed and voluntary agreement to engage in a specific activity.
The AAU Campus Climate Survey reports that 45% of women reporting sexual assault stated that the person who assaulted them was a current or former partner.
There is no automatic consent in any relationship, Martinez-Ortiz says.
“Every person has the right to control their own body in a relationship. Being in a relationship does not entitle anyone to sex at any time,” she added. “Since most people associate trust and connection with intimate partners, it is sometimes confusing how someone can be raped in a dating/intimate relationship.”
Consent is regularly addressed on campus during new student orientation and at the Center for Campus Wellness’ workshops and wellness coaching. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action also provides education and training about consent and other topics.
Additional educational resources are available at the McCluskey Center for Violence Prevention Research & Education, offering a vast resource of research and education for the entire university community regarding sexual violence among college students.
OneLove also offers guidance for identifying healthy and unhealthy relationships geared to college students.
Leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time for a person experiencing violence. When the person causing harm loses control of their partner, they become more volatile and may engage in more harmful behavior. Sometimes, people choose to stay in an unhealthy relationship because it feels the safest for them.
At other times, a person experiencing violence or abuse may be financially dependent on the abusive partner or have been so isolated from their communities they have nowhere to go.
“Some abusive behavior has been so normalized in our culture that we become desensitized to patterns of abuse,” Linder, said. “For example, it is not uncommon for people to share their locations on their cell phones with family members, friends, or even dating partners. While this may be a good practice for family members and friends to take care of each other, it can also be used as a tool of control in dating relationships. Sometimes these controlling behaviors escalate so quickly that people may not recognize the abuse until it has become a pattern.”
The Clery Act requires that crimes are counted as reported and does not require an investigation or a finding of “responsible” or “guilty”. This broad definition means statistics are counted whether or not a victim-survivor wants to move forward with an investigation.
In this case, the victim declined to participate in further investigation of the incidents (which occurred over seven months in 2021 and 2022) and were reported to the U’s Department of Public Safety after the relationship ended. The victim has the right to decline a formal investigation, and their decision to do so does not diminish or invalidate their claims.
“Utah law enforcement agencies should aim to work from a trauma-informed perspective which means making sure that the victim and their rights are being protected,” said Sonya Martinez-Ortiz, executive director of the Rape Recovery Center.
“It’s important that survivors are given power to choose how this will go, because the reporting process and the criminal justice process can open up actual safety risks, financial risks and reputation risks for survivors,” Martinez-Ortiz added. “For some survivors, they report that going through the criminal justice process is just as traumatizing as the assault because they have to relive it consistently.”
“Some survivors choose to move on with their healing journey and want to move forward without being part of the criminal process that can take several years.”
According to a report compiled by Utah State University, only 11.8% of individuals who have experienced rape or sexual assault in Utah reported the crime to law enforcement. And college students are even less likely to report sexual violence to law enforcement reports RAINN.
“We believe our community members and will connect all affected by intimate partner violence with resources. We are here for you,” Squires said.
Professional advocates are available at both Public Safety and the Center for Campus Wellness.
“Survivors have a choice in who they want to connect with for support, and knowing there are different options is important,” said Brittany Kiyoko Badger, center director.
The Center for Campus Wellness provides confidential victim-survivor advocacy services to any campus community member. Contact a victim survivor advocate at 801-581-7776 or by emailing advocate@sa.utah.edu.
The center works confidentially with students, faculty and staff to navigate resources and support for those who have experienced any type of violence, abuse, or harm that someone encounters, including dating and domestic violence and sexual violence.
“Sometimes it can feel very unsafe to report, so knowing that there’s a confidential resource on campus can be helpful,” Badger added.
The U’s Department of Public Safety also provides crime victim advocates for those reporting crimes to University of Utah Police.
Public Safety staff can respond to any concerns that arise on U campus geography—including the neighborhoods directly adjacent to campus, in hospitals and clinics and on satellite campuses. They are available 24/7 and have on-call crime victim advocates who can support survivors and report to police.
Additional resources are available at:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition. This community resource works to advocate, educate, collaborate, and provide leadership to end domestic violence. Their 24-Hour LINKLine is 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- Rape Recovery Center. The Rape Recovery Center supports and empowers survivors and victims of sexual violence and educates the community about the cause, impact, and prevention of sexual violence.
Consent is an explicit, informed and voluntary agreement to engage in a specific activity. It must be given freely and can be withdrawn at any time. Consent is based on clear communication, meaning all parties involved must clearly express their willingness to participate. It cannot be obtained through manipulation, coercion, threats, force, or while a person is incapacitated due to drugs, alcohol, or any condition that impairs their ability to make informed decisions. Silence or the absence of a “no” does not imply consent; it must be an enthusiastic, affirmative, and ongoing “yes”.
“Believe a victim. Ask, ‘Do you feel safe? Do you want resources?’ Part of shifting the culture is to start with believing and then normalize talking about healthy relationships,” said Kimmi Wolf, communications and engagement specialist at the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition. “Dating violence can look very toxic, very controlling.”
Having a support system outside of the relationship can help victims identify and seek help if they find themselves in a domestic violence situation.
In the 2022 Campus Climate Survey, more than 75% of U students responded that they would be “very” or “extremely” likely to support a fellow student who reported an incident.
No, in a general sense. He is not a member of the campus community.
Many people who engage in harmful behaviors in dating and sexual relationships have experienced violence and trauma themselves and have not engaged in a process of healing from their own trauma. They may have witnessed or experienced violent or controlling behavior as a child and carry that trauma with them into adulthood. The trauma they experienced leads to disconnection and an inability or refusal to empathize with other people. Most of the time, people who engage in harmful behavior start by ignoring other people’s boundaries or coercing or pushing their partner to get what they want. They may touch people without their consent or call or text people repeatedly. Because these behaviors have been normalized in many aspects of our culture, they can escalate into more violent or harmful behaviors over time.
Fortunately, a person can heal from trauma they have experienced and learn to engage in healthy relationships. If you or someone you know may be managing a history of trauma that is leading to unhealthy behaviors in relationships, counselors at the University Counseling Center are available to assist in healing from this trauma. There are also to better understand harmful sexual behavior and how to avoid causing it.
People who have experienced or witnessed violence and trauma often experience a trauma response to news related to violence. Sometimes this response shows up in surprising and unexpected ways and our community is encouraged to take care of themselves and their friends as news is read and watched that relates to violence. Although it is important to stay informed, it is also ok to sometimes disconnect from engaging with and watching news related to traumatic events.
A wide variety of mental health services are available through Student Affairs at the U.
Additional support and resources are available via UUPD Crime Victim Advocates, at the SafeU website, through the SafeUT app, and through the U’s Basic Needs Center.
Counseling and support services are available from several entities on campus:
- University Counseling Center (students only): 801-581-6826
- Office for Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX: 801-581-8365
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute crisis line (available 24/7): 801-587-3000
- Center for Campus Wellness (victim-survivor advocates, bystander intervention training and other support services): 801-581-7776
- Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement: 801-581-7392
- Center for Disability and Access: 801-581-5020, info@disability.utah.edu
- Dream Center: 801-213-3697
- Employee Assistance Program (staff): 801-587-9319 or 800-926-9619
- Housing and Residential Education (available 24/7): 801-587-2000
- International Student and Scholar Services: 801-581-8876, international@utah.edu
- Office of the Dean of Students: 801-581-7066
- Veterans Support Center: 801-587-7722, vetcenter@sa.utah.edu