Alex Bass

222 North Ocala Road

Tallahassee, Florida 32304
March 31, 2016
Victim Advocacy FSU & FAMU
FSU- University Center A, Suite 4100
Tallahassee, Fl 32306
FAMU- 101 Sunshine Manor
Tallahassee, FL 32307

Dear Victims Advocacy at FSU & FAMU,

Sexual assault has the most traumatic and detrimental effects of any crime. Fear, anxiety,
and shock develop instantly and dignity is lost. So why does the criminal justice system belittle
them and brush their incidents under the rug? According to Linda Fairstein and Haley Clark, the
criminal justice system discriminates against victims of rape. Clark states victims lack
communication with the system, therefore it is unethical. Victims of sexual battery deserve more
than justice and, in order for justice to be served it needs to be properly addressed versus using
compensation as a scapegoat. College campuses especially, need to further educate their student
body about these matters so students can know what action to take if it does occur. When victims
can openly speak to one another about facing assault, the issue within the criminal justice system
can properly and more confidently be addressed if their rights of privacy are understood. I argue
that victims DO need to be notified of their rights and compensated for the incident. This project
addresses how the system deals with victims and how the system needs to be upgraded.

The reason why rape is so under-reported is due to the lack of knowledge of ones own
rights and being re-victimized by the system. Appropriate steps need to be taken to gain trust and
protect victims privacy. In the article from Rape Victim Advocates in Illinois, Creating an
absolute privilege for rape victims has provided victims with stronger protections and given
victims more control over information about their lives. This is extremely necessary because
after sexual assault has occurred victims are fearful of their safety and lack the ability to cope
normally. In William Doerner and Steven P. Labs book of Victimology they present the Crisis
Reaction Repair Cycle. First, victims face impact. This is when their emotions are controlling
their every day lives and have to combat their overpowering effects. Next, the recoil period
which is the victims second phase of recovery where the emotions are still there but now the
swings of intensity come and go but PTSD can develop due to the severity of the incident.
Lastly, reorganization is when victims can put the event is perspective and can either move past it
or cannot transition back to their normal lives. Victims of sexual battery need to be handled with
care. If they know their rights and the treatment services that are offered to them, the process of
repairment can potentially be smoother.
Many victims are terrified to even speak about the event, which is why it needs to be
known that people are here to help, not attack, unlike the criminal justice system. The best way
to do this is to give these victims the option to decide anonymously if they want to take action.
For example, a podcast specifically for sexual battery victims. They can choose whether or not
they want to listen to it and take the tips advertised. This podcast will inform the rights of victims
and services offered in their hometown. This is an approachable option because they will not be
scared to just stop listening to the podcast rather than having to go in somewhere to talk about
their fear and encompassing emotions. The podcast host can present information on the justice

system and their laws with concrete factual information regarding how it works and what to
avoid; then give listeners the opportunity to reflect and ask questions. Instead of calling a radio
station and speaking live, the podcast will give victims the opportunity to use an anonymous
discussion board website and allows them to ask these questions without the pressure of having
to immediately respond. For example, the victim can post Who can I talk to that knows what
this is like? Or how can I stop my mind from wandering back to the incident? This question will
then be answered the next day on the podcast, which encourages listeners to follow up each day
and listen to other peoples questions knowing they are undergoing the same struggle and have
support all the way through. It will give them a feeling of safety, something that all victims lack,
and the feeling of being welcomed somewhere to speak freely. I believe these genres have the
most positive effect because rape victims are sensitive to speaking out, so this gives them the
freedom to openly express what they feel without the pressure of anyone in the justice system
trying to force them into something they are not ready for, like a court case which would
consequently lead to attorney fees. Problems I may encounter are struggling to spread the word
to advertise this podcast and encourage victims to genuinely reach out onto the dashboard to tell
their unfortunate real life stories. If I can get FSU and FAMU Victims advocacy programs to
post somewhere on their website or even in their buildings about this podcast, it can slowly
develop a bigger audience to create more in depth questions. We can divide and conquer to help
these victims of sexual assault and develop more welcoming arms together. My podcast and
discussion boards can lead these victims to speaking in person with someone of your programs
slowly but surely. I am hoping that the podcast creates baby steps that lead to bigger ones.
Reaching out about the incident on the podcast is the first step, listening to it the following day
and receiving advice is the next, and then lastly, hopefully gaining the courage to take action and

report the incident or at least seek further help. I want to create this podcast for students only
because rape on college campuses is immensely prominent and these students have access to
services and counseling they may not know about. So adding questions to the discussion board
about where to get help and what kind of people they can talk to will be highly useful to them
because I can inform them on who to speak to, especially if they have opted out acknowledging
the system. This podcast can contribute to victims in many ways, but my goal is for them to find
their sense of self again. They can slowly release their feelings by speaking to others going
through the same traumatic event, and it can rebuild them entirely.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Alex Bass
Alex Bass