Ohio's 'Start By Believing' campaign aims to transform community response to sexual assault
The 91视频 Police Department is partnering with the Survivor Advocacy Program, Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Campus Involvement Center to present 鈥淪tart by Believing: What happens after a sexual assault is reported鈥 on Monday, Oct. 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Nelson Commons.
The event will feature a moderated conversation between survivor, Brie Sivy, an OHIO junior, Det. Mathew Austin, the OUPD detective who investigated her case, and Kim Castor, Director of the Survivor Advocacy Program.
鈥淲e think it is more critical than ever to bring this informative and supportive program to OHIO,鈥 91视频 Chief of Police Andrew Powers said. 鈥淎fter introducing it months ago and having such an inspirational survivor like Brie willing to share her story, I think it will have a huge impact on the community and the way we help survivors of sexual assault.鈥
First introduced to OHIO at the kick-off event in March, the 鈥淪tart by Believing鈥 campaign is a global movement that hopes to improve the responses that survivors receive when disclosing an assault. Attendees will hear a first-hand account of Sivy鈥檚 case, focused on the investigative process and what sexual assault looks like from the perspective of both the survivor and the detective. They will also learn about the barriers to reporting sexual assault experienced by survivors, how to respond empathetically when someone says they were assaulted and what happens to a survivor鈥檚 brain from the stress and trauma.
鈥淭he Start by Believing campaign is designed to teach others what to say, how to take action and the resources available when a sexual assault would occur to them or someone they know,鈥 Director of the Survivor Advocacy Program, Kim Castor said. 鈥淎t SAP, we strive to find ways to help survivors and inform others on how to empathize with them, and this campaign is spreading that knowledge on an even higher scale than we can.鈥
This past April, Sivy and Det. Mathew Austin, who has worked extensively with sexual assault survivors and investigated Sivy鈥檚 case, were awarded the Law Enforcement and Survivor Special Courage Award at the 2018 Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center's Models of Justice (OCVJC) Awards Celebration in Columbus, Ohio.
For more information about the national Start by Believing Campaign, visit .