Consent is a voluntary and sober agreement to engage in every step of a sexual activity. The absence of a verbal “no” does not indicate consent. If consent is not present then a sexual assault has been committed. Consent can be withheld at any point and must be given for each act along the path. Individuals who are intoxicated cannot give consent. Even if permission to have sexual activity is gained through force, an imbalance of power, use of coercion, the threat of violence or is perpetrated against someone who is not able to give consent, because that individual is sleep, incapacitated, unconscious, legally intoxicated or a minor, consent is not actually given.
For more information about consent please visit http://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/sas/sexual-assault.html. To contact a 24 hour NOVA Sexual Assault Services coordinator for free confidential support, please call 703.338.0834 or email NOVA.SAS@nvcc.edu.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Tip of the Week: Unhealthy Relationships
Are you in a Healthy or Unhealthy Relationship? Does your partner:
• Call you names, insults and threatens you?
• Criticizes constantly?
• Damages or destroys your things?
• Checks up on you or makes you check in constantly?
• Doesn’t let you see friends and family or go anywhere/ do anything without him or her?
If yes, you may be in an unhealthy relationship. For more information visit http://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/sas/dating.html and for assistance contact NOVA Sexual Assault Services (SAS) for free confidential support at 703.338.0834 or email nova.sas@nvcc.edu.
Tip of the Week: Stalking
Stalking is a course of conduct, targeted at a particular person that causes a reasonable person to feel fear. On college campuses the stalker is often not a stranger to the victim. Four out of five campus victims know their attacker. These perpetrators have an intimate relationship or close friendship; they may be classmates, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances, or related to their victims. If you or someone you know is being stalked, contact a 24 hour NOVA Sexual Assault Services Coordinator for free confidential support. Please call 703.338.0834 or email NOVA.SAS@nvcc.edu. For more information and resources about stalking, please visit http://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/sas/stalking.html
Tip of the Week #6: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence (dating/partner violence) is a pattern of behaviors between individuals who are or have been involved in an intimate relationship in which an individual inflicts emotional, financial, psychological, sexual and/or physical harm to his/her partner to assert power and control. To find resources or get more information on domestic violence (dating/ partner violence), visit http://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/sas/dating.html. To contact a 24 hour NOVA Sexual Assault Services coordinator for free confidential support, please call 703.338.0834 or email NOVA.SAS@nvcc.edu.
NOVA SAS at MEC for The Clothesline Project!
NOVA SAS coordinates The Clothesline Project at NOVA. Today we visited MEC. Here are some of the shirts that were designed today!
“The Clothesline Project is a non-governmental organization created to bring awareness to the issue of violence against women. For women who have been affected by violence, it is a means of expressing their emotions by decorating a t-shirt. After the shirts have been decorated, they are hung on a clothesline display.”
Tip of the week #5: Bystander Intervention
An active bystander speaks up or calls attention to an issue that doesn’t seem right. You are often the first to see any concerning behavior, so if you “See Something, Say Something.” This can prevent various types of sexual misconduct and identify behavioral changes, stress, suicidal actions, or depression. If you have seen something concerning, please file an online report at www.nvcc.edu/novacares. For more information or assistance contact NOVA Sexual Assault Services at NOVA.SAS@nvcc.edu or call 703.338.0834. If someone is in immediate danger call 9-1-1 or NOVA Police at 703.764.5000. To learn more about bystander intervention visit http://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/_docs/Bystander_Intervention_FAQs.pdf.
Tip of the Week #4. 9/16: U-Life Line a Resource for the NOVA Community
Tip of the Week 9/16
• U-Lifeline is a free online resource for college mental health. This resources gives information on a variety of issues such as alcohol and drug usage, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, emotional health, schizophrenia, stress and suicidal behavior. For the Crisis text line Text START to 741-741, for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for immediate help. For more information visit http://www.ulifeline.org/nvcc/
TIP OF THE WEEK #3: 9.13.16
NOVACare’s offers several resources guides available to the NOVA community. If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one you can visit our website http://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/program/index.html, and click the page “Grief and Loss”. Under that page you will find information guides on dealing with grief, non-profit organizations and other grief support resources. Grief support resources can provide members with validation and understanding of the intensity of their experience. By providing members with a compassionate community that will support them in their struggle, it gives members the opportunity to share their strengths and coping strategies.
Tips on Suicide Prevention from NOVA Police.
http://www.nvcc.edu/police/_files/publicsafetynewsletter-September2016.pdf
According to a study released by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics
on April 22, 2016, suicide rates increased 24% between 1999 and 2014, the highest they have been in three decades. The greatest pace of increase came after 2006, and rates increased for both males and females of all ages 10-74. Females aged 10-14 and men aged 45-64 had the largest percent increases in suicide rates, 200% and 43% respectively. This troubling new data was released just days before the beginning of Mental Health Month, observed each May for over 60 years.
The new CDC report also confirms that “suicide among adolescents and young
adults is increasing and among the leading causes of death for those demographic groups.” Suicide continues to be a major concern on college campuses with issues of contagion and ideation at the forefront of challenges facing suicide prevention specialists. The statistics for college students are alarming:
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among 18- to 24-year-olds.
One in 10 college students has made a plan for suicide.
There are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses per year. This is approximately 100 times greater than the average number killed by active shooters on college campuses.
Suicide contagion and clusters are more likely among young people in contained communities such as college campuses.
The rate of suicide is between .5 and 7.5 per 100,000 among college students.
Suicidal thoughts, making plans for suicide, and suicide attempts are higher among adults aged 18 to 25 than among adults over the age of 26.
Thoughts of attempting suicide are reported to occur among 5% of grad students and 18% of undergrads.
Suicide prevention resources, addressing suicide prevention, information for suicide survivors, and help for friends in crisis in addition to other available counseling services, are available. Learn common misperceptions
about suicide and warning signs. Please share these resources, and others, with your campus community throughout Mental Health Month.
Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention: Public-private partnership to advance the national strategy on suicide prevention
American Association of Suicidology: Provides a college and university suicide prevention accreditation program in partnership with the Jed Foundation
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Raises awareness, funds scientific research and provides resources and aid to those affected by suicide
International Association for Suicide Prevention; A non-governmental organization in official relationship with the World Health Organization concerned with suicide prevention
Jed Foundation: Promotes young adult emotional health and works to prevent suicide
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
SAMSHA: Suicide Prevention: Provides suicide prevention information and other helpful resources to behavioral health professionals, the general public and people at risk
Suicide Prevention Resource Center: Provides specific resources for colleges and universities in this section
of their website.
Volunteers Needed for Upcoming Projects
We need your help for several upcoming campaigns. Do you have a few hours to volunteer with us?