On top of things: SU officials explain RAPE Protocol

Southern University inform students, faculty and staff on the correct procedures on how to handle a sexual assault case on campus.
“In the event of a rape, the Southern University’s Police department calls the Louisiana State police first,” said SU Police Chief Joycelyn Johnson. “Then a detective is sent to gather information on the case. Once the victim is referred to the detective the victim is then going to be asked if they would like to be examined with a rape kit.”
Further explaining the purpose of a rape kit, Johnson went on to say, “A rape kit is a collection of sexual assault evidence or items used by medical personnel. Its purpose is to gather and preserve physical evidence following an allegation of sexual assault, which can be used in a rape investigation and in the trial of a rape crime,” said Johnson.
If the victim agrees to the procedure they are then taken to the hospital, and the medical personnel collects the evidence from the victim, seals it, and returns it to the Southern University’s Police Department, to maintain the integrity of the evidence, until it is turned over to the state police.
“They are the ones who open and process the kit to collect the evidence,” said Johnson.
When asked the role of the SUPD, Johnson responded by saying, “Our job in the case would be to then find statements, or additional evidence that may be able to contribute to the case that wasn’t found in the beginning of the case, or even found in the results of the rape kit. We would work it just as any other case being handled in the Southern University’s Police Department,” said Johnson.
I feel as if our campus handles sexual assault cases very well,” said Family and Consumer Sciences: Dietetics Major, Taijha Gordon.
When asked “Considering the fact that we rarely ever hear about any rape cases on campus, well at least I haven’t, and it doesn’t seem to be any confusion or mishap in the way to handle a sexual assault case,” finished Gordon
Sexual assault charges and cases rely solely on the victim. It is the victim’s right to either have a case presented and press charges on the alleged suspect or drop all charges. During the time in-between the investigation and trial of the case, the victim also has the right to full privacy.
“Most cases of sexual misconduct are credibility cases, which means its usually one story versus the other,” said Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator, Marcus Coleman. “The determination of the cases are based upon a preponderance of evidence, which basically says that 50 percent of evidence means something to the case. This becomes difficult because you have two people in the room, one story versus the other story, and there are no witnesses, even though there still is an investigation.”
Coleman described that the plaintiff, also known as the victim, has two options on how to report, either to the university or to law enforcement or both.
When asked what happens to the alleged person if the victim decides to take the case to trial, Coleman responded saying. “If the respondent is found responsible you have a range of sanctions depending on the severity of the case.”
Sanctions mentioned were hosing accommodations, dinning hall restrictions, and scheduling of classes.
“We have to respect what the victim says, at all times throughout the case. I have found at times a victim might say I would like to press charges and before the case is presented, they change their minds and drop all charges, which terminates the case. There are times, when the victim would state that they did not want anything to be done at the moment. We are able to keep the rape kits, and hold them until the victim says in writing that they do not want to press charges and the rape kit, and then the evidence can be destroyed,” finished Johnson.
“If I was sexually assaulted on campus, I would probably go to the hospital to be examined first, and tested for any diseases,” said freshmen biology major Russhell Lee of Baton Rouge.
“Of course when you are dealing with sexual assault, each institution is bound by something that is called title nine rape violation. This is a department of education regulation, which prohibits student discrimination. When a student is sexually assaulted or sexually harassed that is a form of discrimination which can be reported to the university, or it can be reported to law enforcement,” said Marcus Coleman, Dean of Students
Coleman continues,
“Most cases of sexual misconduct are credibility cases, which means its usually one story versus the other. The determination of the cases are based upon a preponderance of evidence, which basically says that 50 percent of evidence means something to the case. This becomes difficult because you have two people in the room, one story versus the other story, and there are no witnesses, even though there is an investigation
“Southern University is also releasing a revised form of our sexual misconduct policy, that will touch basis on various ways to report a sexual assault.”