Michigan State University’s Rebecca Campbell, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the effects of sexual assault, will discuss her research at Michigan’s first summit aimed at preventing sexual assault on college campuses.
The June 8 event, announced recently by Michigan First Lady Sue Snyder, aims to make Michigan a model state in the fight against sexual assault among the college age population.
The daylong event, held at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing, is called “Inform. Empower. Prevent. Let’s End Campus Sexual Assault Summit.”
Campbell, a psychology professor, was one of the first researchers to focus on violence against women, and for the past 25 years has conducted research with an emphasis on sexual assault, coordinated community responses, untested rape kits and the neurobiology of trauma.
The Department of Justice, which recently honored Campbell with a prestigious award in Washington, said she has improved both the nation’s understanding of sexual assault and medical and criminal justice professionals’ response to sexual assault victims.
Campbell said the issue of sexual assault on college campuses is gaining local, state and national attention, and universities are looking for evidence-based strategies for prevention and victim services.
“I will be sharing research findings from psychology, psychiatry, medicine and nursing regarding the underlying neurobiological processes of trauma – what's really happening in the brain and body during major traumas, such as sexual assault,” she said. “This research has direct applications for service providers as it helps practitioners understand why victims behave the way the do and how the memories of traumatic events are laid down in the brain. I'll be discussing practical applications of this research for sexual assault investigations and support services.”
Campbell said the summit is a great opportunity to showcase how research can transform practice.
“MSU is known for tackling real world problems, and this summit is an excellent example of that – we will be sharing research to transform lives within our own campus community.”
Co-chaired by state Sens. Tonya Schuitmaker and Rebekah Warren and state Reps. Laura Cox and Marilyn Lane, the summit is a bipartisan effort bringing together college and university representatives, legislators, law enforcement officials and students for a series of discussion panels and networking sessions.
“Our colleges and universities are already doing a lot of good work but there is always more that can be done,” Snyder said. “It is my hope we can change the culture surrounding assault, encourage collaborative problem solving and identify current best practices in an effort to lessen assaults on college and university campuses.”
Presenting the keynote address will be Gina Maisto Smith and Leslie Gomez from Pepper Hamilton LLP, two nationally recognized attorneys who have dedicated their careers to investigating and responding to sexual assault, intimate partner violence and child abuse.
The keynote address and all general sessions of the summit will be open to media. In addition to Campbell, speakers at the sessions include:
- Emma Hanrahan and Lauren Debski, sexual assault survivors working with the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, will share their personal stories and highlight the struggles they faced following their assaults.
- Casey Corcoran, program director at Futures Without Violence, will host a main session examining national best practices for creating a comprehensive response to sexual violence on campus.
- Antonia Abbey, Wayne State University psychology professor, will share research regarding the role of alcohol in college sexual assaults.
The four co-chairs will be joined by Debi Cain, director of the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board, for a Q&A session on the state’s role in preventing assault.
Additional topics for the breakout sessions range from covering new ways to incorporate technology, measuring effectiveness of current initiatives, bystander intervention techniques and effective marketing strategies. Students will also have the opportunity to develop an action plan to take back to their campuses.
Based on available space, summit attendance is limited to campus representatives and issue experts. A live stream option will be available with information to follow.