As the new executive director of the Rape Victim Advocacy Program (RVAP), Jennifer Carlson and her team are dedicated to creating a culture where sexual assault isn’t tolerated at the University of Iowa.
"I think we’re past the time that we sit idly by and think about this being someone else’s issue. My challenge to the campus and the community is to not classify sexual violence as a personal issue for someone else, but to take sexual violence personally and to get involved—because it is personal to everyone."
—Jennifer Carlson
RVAP provides confidential support and advocacy to survivors of sexual abuse and their partners, friends, and family members. It serves the UI community as well as residents of Johnson, Cedar, Iowa, Washington, Henry, Des Moines, Lee, and Van Buren counties.
Carlson, who worked at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and with the Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault, started at the UI in August.
She discusses the impact of funding recently committed by the UI to support increased sexual violence prevention education and how small steps can make a big difference in the fight against sexual assault.
What professionally and personally attracted you to this position?
The idea of working in a program that tackled both campus and community was something I had never seen before, so thinking about creating a merger between those two areas was really exciting and inspiring to me. I jumped at the chance, and I’m very fortunate to be here.
You’ve been on the job since Aug. 4. What excites you about the months ahead and what do you see as challenges?
I’ve been spending a lot of time learning the strengths of the staff and history of the program, and gaining a better understanding of where the staff wants to go and letting them teach me about the ownership of the programs they’re developing. It’s exciting to me to see their passion and how much talent and depth we have on our team.
We’re also hiring more staff members throughout our eight-county region. I’m looking forward to bringing those new team members on and integrating them into our services, as well as being able to provide more resources to the community.
When you begin to address the issue of sexual assault, it’s hard to really look at the issue and not think about the idea of oppression in a larger sense. So the hurdle that we have, wanting to be agents of change in all facets, is to remember that oppression is a quilt and sexual assault is a single thread, and to understand that our role predominantly lies in the care of that thread. That’s part of why we’re developing our strategic plan to make sure that our focus is on that thread, while still participating and providing a support structure for the rest of the quilt as well.
You recently increased an existing part-time sexual violence prevention education specialist to full-time, a position created as part of president Mason’s Six Point Plan to Combat Sexual Assault. What does that position entail? And what does it mean to have the administration’s support?
We are very excited about the new full-time University Prevention Education Coordinator position, made possible by the UI. This dedication of funding allowed us to take our current staff member, Susan Junis, who has been doing this role part-time and create an expanded position. By capitalizing on Susan’s incredible strengths as an educator and utilizing UI’s funding, we will be able to expand the depth and scope of our primary prevention programming on campus. This support is a tangible example of UI’s dedication to addressing sexual violence on campus in a concrete way. It is an example I hope other universities and college follow.
The UI is participating in bystander intervention training. Why is it important to know the warning signs of sexual misconduct and to intervene before it happens?
We’re delighted with the university’s bystander intervention training initiatives. Our education and prevention side is enthusiastically participating.
There are several different programs being implemented on the UI’s campus, including, but not limited to, Hawks Helping Hawks and Stand Up, Don’t Standby. They look at bystander intervention not only from the spectrum of sexual violence, but also all types of issues that students deal with. All of the programs really challenge the community to step up, and take personal responsibility for these issues.
There is something we all can do and it’s not about having to don your superhero cape and having to swoop in, but just taking small steps. It’s calling people out when they participate in rape myths or jokes or degrading comments. Or it’s stepping in if you see a fellow student who has had way too much to drink and is incapacitated and you believe they’re in a bad situation. You can find their friends and have them take them home, or you can find them a safe way home by utilizing Nite Ride. Small steps like those can really make a big difference.
RVAP serves both the UI community and the larger community. Why is it important?
Historically, the work that was done and the implementation of rape crisis programs were designed to give a voice to survivors and to provide access to services that had not been accessible before. That’s still our role, but as advocates we also assist the survivor in finding their own path.
The analogy I always talk with my staff about is the idea that an advocate plays the role of a sherpa. A sherpa’s job is not to drag those who seek our services kicking and screaming up Mount Everest, but to walk behind our clients and have all the resources for the climb. So when they decide they need something—we’re there. And when they decide they want to quit —we’re there. Or if they want to go all the way to the top—we’re there. It’s not about what we want, it’s about what they want. I think no matter how far we get in addressing the issue of rape culture or making these changes, that role is always needed for survivors, as well as for their family members. Being that resource is part of one of our greatest strengths.
What can the UI community continue to do to create a culture of compassion?
Whether it’s at the university or in any part of Iowa or the world, it’s important to have a respectful and intelligent dialogue about sexual violence, find a way to break free of those anecdotes and myths that tend to surround this issue, have a conversation, and get involved.
I think we’re past the time that we sit idly by and think about this being someone else’s issue. My challenge to the campus and the community is to not classify sexual violence as a personal issue for someone else, but to take sexual violence personally and to get involved—because it is personal to everyone.