• At Marquette, we know that 80% of student victims of a violent crime go to their peers to get help and talk about the incident, and do not seek out further services.

• So, victims could easily come to you rather than other offices like the Counseling Center, Public Safety or Health Services.

Responding to a Victim:

1. Do listen and allow the friend to say everything s/he wants.

1. Don’t asking questions that are judgmental like, “Why did you go up to his room?” or “Why didn’t you fight back.”  No matter where she was, whether she fought back, or whether she was drinking, it is NEVER the friend’s fault.  In every sexual assault, the perpetrator is 100% responsible for their actions.  You may think she made a poor choice, but no matter what choice she made they did not deserve or ask to be sexually assaulted.

1. Do tell your friend that you want to help.  Express that there are services available to offer safety and support.

1. Don’t give the victim unsolicited advice or try to tell the friend what s/he must do.

1. It’s okay to encourage actions, but let the victim take control and decide how to proceed.  Because a critical part of healing is regaining some sense of control over his/her life, the victim must be allowed to direct their own recovery, so support their decisions.