Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) and the Sexual Violence Task Force (SVTF) are deeply saddened and concerned about the recent violent attacks against women on our campus. We are thankful that the survivors of these attacks have chosen to report the assaults to the Georgia Tech Police, but we recognize that there are many survivors who never come forward.

We have decided to use today to offer open hours for students, faculty and staff who may need support, information on resources or to share their concerns about the recent violent attacks on women. An advocate will be available in the Women's Resource Center (suite 131, Smithgall Student Services Building) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Or, anyone can speak with someone from the WRC for support or information about sexual violence resources by calling 404-385-4501 or emailing voice@gatech.edu.

We want to let you know about the supportive resources available to all students regardless of whether or not they choose to report sexual violence to the police. These resources — which include the WRC, the Office of the Dean of Students and the Counseling Center, among others — are available to survivors, those who know survivors and those who have been affected by knowledge of sexual violence in their community. Each of these offices can help connect students to resources on and off campus.

Additionally, the WRC, in partnership with the Office of Health Promotion, offers training to anyone who would like to know more about what to do if someone they know experiences sexual violence. The WRC and SVTF are active members of VOICE, a campuswide initiative founded on the premise that everyone has the right to live and learn at Georgia Tech, free of violence or the threat of violence. This initiative seeks to empower students, faculty and staff to confront the significant but largely hidden problem of sexual violence on campus. You can find out more about sexual violence resources and trainings on the VOICE website.

Sexual violence can be experienced by both women and men, although women experience it more frequently. Sexual violence is perpetrated by strangers, by intimate partners, by family members, by friends and by acquaintances. Risk reduction measures like walking in groups, taking self-defense classes and being aware of your surroundings are certainly important and may help protect you from some situations. Unfortunately, while these measures reduce the risk of sexual violence they are far from foolproof. As a campus we need to come together to support survivors by knowing the resources, attending trainings that address the systemic issues of violence and by practicing bystander intervention.

Sincerely,
The Women’s Resource Center and the Sexual Violence Task Force