Sadly, rape remains a campus reality, and the system is often rigged against the victim.
Last year, Ohio University’s interpretation of state felony reporting laws made it impossible for the OU Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program to maintain confidentiality among the victims it serves. Under OU’s interpretation of the law, in direct opposition to the program’s director’s views, the program would have been bound to report the names and details of the rapists, if victims provide such information.
The program, therefore, will close Sept. 30, 2016, until a new host outside the university is found.
No Lapse in Service Anticipated
But Catherine Wargo, the program’s director, does not expect finding a new host to be a problem and does not anticipate a lapse in service.
“Survivors are going to be able to get the services they need under the new fiscal agents that we are going to work with,” Wargo said. “We will be able to maintain confidential services.”
If you or anyone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, the program will continue to maintain a 24/7 hotline at (740) 591-4266. Confidentiality will not be guaranteed, however, until the center finds a new off-campus host, so any names and details of perpetrators will still be reported to legal authorities.