Auri Shipley ~ Public Relations and Strategic Organization
Project Summary
For my senior project, I wanted to do something meaningful and impactful to others. Through connections, I worked with the Rexburg Family Crisis Center to promote an event they held for Sexual Assault Awareness Month on BYU-Idaho’s campus.
After the promotion of the event and conversing with many BYU-Idaho students, I saw a lack of awareness regarding the prevalence of sexual violence in the Rexburg and BYU-Idaho communities, in addition to local resources for survivors of sexual violence. This became the primary focus of my senior project and gave me the goal to research data, bring awareness, and gather data on sexual violence, specifically in the local community of Rexburg, ID.
Part 1-The Family Crisis Center
About:
The Rexburg Family Crisis Center is a local non-profit organization that provides comprehensive information and a referral network of community resources for those who’ve experienced domestic and sexual violence. They also have many in-house resources for those in need. Their primary goal is “to promote safety, self sufficiency, hope and healing to those affected by abuse.”
The Event:
The Family Crisis Center (FCC) held an art exhibit titled “Healing” on May 3rd for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which is held during the month of April. The art displayed in the exhibit came in many different mediums (drawings, murals, collages, paintings, poems, short stories, song playlists, dancing, etc.) and was submitted by community members.
Picture: Auri Shipley
Picture: Auri Shipley
Promotion:
The FCC wanted to promote their event on BYU-Idaho’s campus but could only do so through a student or faculty member. They gave 100 fliers advertising the event and 500 magnets to pass out to BYU-Idaho students.
Upon receiving the fliers, I delved into extensive research about the FCC to equip myself with information to share during the event promotion. I then visited communication classes to recruit enthusiastic volunteers, who played a crucial role in promoting this event. After coordinating the times and places for distribution, I met with the volunteers to discuss the event details and the best way to engage with the students.
We passed out fliers over a week. During this time, we would approach students in various places on campus (the MC, the library, Clarke, Spori, Smith, Romney buildings, and outside around campus). When I approached students or groups of students, I would first ask, “Have you heard of the Rexburg Family Crisis Center?” Most of the students I talked to knew little or nothing about them. I would explain what they do and then talk about their upcoming event, share the importance of this event, and leave them with a flyer and a magnet or two. Occasionally, when speaking to students, it would lead to a deeper conversation on the prevalence of sexual violence in Rexburg and the importance of the FCC. This led me to the second part of my project.
Part 2-The Prevalence of Sexual Violence in the Community
Research
My research consisted of diving into sexual violence statistics at various levels: locally in Idaho, nationally, and specifically for the college-aged female demographic. This research helped provide context and inform my findings from the survey I created later. It also was information I used to create social media content.
In addition, I specifically examined the data provided by BYU-Idaho. This institutional perspective added depth to my analysis and revealed the data’s inaccuracy.
Survey Findings
I began by designing a comprehensive survey to collect data on the prevalence of sexual violence in Rexburg and at BYU-Idaho. This survey included multiple questions and took careful wording to be politically correct and not offend or upset anyone. This step was crucial for understanding the scope of the issue. After opening the survey, I gathered and reviewed the responses. I sent out this survey through multiple channels, including social media, email lists, communication classes through their professors, and word of mouth. Notably, the majority of participants reported that they didn’t report their sexual violence experiences. This discrepancy highlights an important issue: incidents that go unreported may not appear in official crime statistics released by BYU-Idaho, leading people to believe that sexual violence isn’t as common as it is.
Content Creation
I created social media content to raise awareness and share my findings. This step was essential for reaching a wider audience and fostering dialogue about sexual violence. Below is content I created and shared on social media.
Conversations and Advocacy
I engaged in discussions about sexual violence prevalence, and the need for resources and education was commendable. These conversations contribute to awareness and advocacy efforts. But also a better understanding of what information needs to be included. By participating in these conversations, I advocated for resources and education related to sexual violence. This proactive approach helped me foster a positive change by educating individuals and building awareness.
Conclusion
In my senior project, I collaborated with the Rexburg Family Crisis Center to promote their “Healing” art exhibit during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Through extensive research and survey data, I highlighted the prevalence of sexual violence in our community, emphasizing the importance of awareness and resources. My work aimed to bridge the gap between statistics and lived experiences, advocating for survivors and fostering dialogue.
References
1. American Psychological Association. “Campus Sexual Assault.” Apa.org, 2023, http://www.apa.org/apags/resources/campus-sexual-assault-fact-sheet.
2. BYU-Idaho Annual Security and Fire Safety Report | 1 44- 2021 ANNUAL SECURITY and FIRE SAFETY REPORT.
3. “Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics | RAINN.” Www.rainn.org, http://www.rainn.org/statistics/campus-sexual-violence#:~:text=13%25%20of%20all%20students%20experience.
4. “HOME.” Familycrisiscenter, familycrisiscenter.wixsite.com/familycrisiscenter.
5. Idaho Sexual Assault Fact Sheet. 2021.
6. National Sexual Violence Resource Center. “Statistics.” National Sexual Violence Resource Center, NSVRC, 2018, http://www.nsvrc.org/statistics.
7. RAINN. “About Sexual Assault | RAINN.” Rainn.org, 2019, http://www.rainn.org/about-sexual-assault.