According to the Keene State Campus Safety logs, there was a report of a dating violence incident on the evening of Wednesday, April 7.
“Whenever the Title IX office is responding to a disclosure or a report or something of that nature, we typically will do outreach and our goal is to meet the student where they’re at, wherever that may be, to really support their needs,” KSC Sexual Misconduct & Bias Investigator Kelli Jo Harper said.
Harper added, “For some students, they’re interested in accommodations, so things like academic or housing accommodations. Other students may be most interested in learning more about safety measures or formal reporting pathways.”
Harper said most employees of the college, except confidential resources, have the responsibility of reporting on any instances where a student is harmed or harassed, as outlined in the Clery Act.
According to the Clery Act website, the federal law “requires colleges and universities to report campus crime data, support victims of violence, and publicly outline the policies and procedures they have put into place to improve Campus Safety.”
Director of Campus Safety and Compliance Chris Buckley said that although most reports of dating violence go to Title IX, his office can also receive calls relating to the topic.
“Campus safety can receive calls regarding dating violence … it may come from a student, community assistant, community director, a friend, a roommate,” Buckley said. “[We] would respond, talk with the person, [do] safety planning depending on the nature of the incident.”
Buckley added dating violence, “is an infrequent event on our campus, and unfortunately, it does happen on college campuses.”
Keene State has a variety of resources available for students who need support relating to dating violence, such as the counselors and medical practitioners at the Wellness Center. Another off-campus resource the college works closely with is the Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention (MCVP).
According to the MCVP website, the organization is committed to “providing help and support to those in need, and to promoting prevention in our communities through education and outreach. You are not alone. Everyone deserves to feel safe.”
Harper added that the college has a close relationship with the Keene Police Department, College Liaison Officer Jack LaPorte. Cheshire Medical Center also provides a number of services to Keene State students.
“If a student needs access to other types of medical services, Cheshire Medical Center is also available, more specifically to sexual assault and thinking about a forensic exam or something of that nature.”
For students who have been through dating violence, Harper said her office encourages students to do what is most comfortable for them.
“How we approach this work in general, which is an empowerment-based approach… is really trying to empower students to make the best decision for themselves,” Harper said. “The Title IX office is available to meet and speak with [students] and they can reach out to us in email, phone call, or stopping in.”
With questions or concerns relating to dating violence, contact the Title IX Office at titleix@keene.edu, MCVP at 603-352-3782.
Nicole Dumont can be contacted at
ndumont@kscequinox.com
