Transitioning Times

Although I am constantly reminded about how much the community supports the work that we do, the allies who agreed to take on acting roles in the  Mock Trial made me believe that we may be able to change the rape culture that exists in our society.  On Tuesday, April 18, I walked into Courtroom 1 of the Northumberland County Courthouse and was pleasantly surprised by a full courtroom.  The Mock Trial in a case named U.S. v Michael Davis focused on a college relationship in which a young woman alleged that she was raped.  It was a complicated case, as most sexual assault cases are.  There were no witnesses to what took place and alcohol was involved.  The victim, who had been drinking, had not given her consent to have sex but the defendant proceeded, even after she had said “no.”  The jury, comprised of volunteers from the audience, found the defendant, a college-age man, guilty of the lesser charge of misdemeanor sexual assault.  Two years ago, ...

On April 18, 2017, Transitions hosted a mock sexual assault trial at the Northumberland County Courthouse. It was well-attended, with a full courtroom of approximately 100 people. This was a public event and invitations were distributed widely to high schools and colleges in the area as well as community organizations. The mock trial was created by the DC Street Law Clinic through Georgetown University . Actors were provided with statements given by their characters but otherwise improvised during the trial. The two attorneys spent the most time preparing for the trial. There was only one rehearsal prior to the event.  This mock trial was created in 2009, but the issues it raises continue to be relevant. College students are at a higher risk of being victimized; statistics state 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college. There has been a lot of discussion in the past few years about sexual violence on college campuses, including from then- Pres...

Summation of an article by: Dr Scott Hampton, Psy.D. Submitted by Adam H.   Alcohol and sexual assault often happen together . According to some research , 30 percent of all sexual assaults occur when the perpetrator is under the influence of alcohol. In some cases, the victim is also intoxicated. Drinking makes it easy for the perpetrator to ignore sexual boundaries, while the victim's intoxication makes it more difficult for her/him to guard against an attack.   A common misunderstanding is that if people commit sexual assaults only when drunk, then (a) the drinking must have caused the assault and (b) sobriety and alcohol counseling are adequate to prevent future assaults. These erroneous conclusions confuse correlation and causation. To illustrate, consider the correlation between consciousness and sexual assault. Perpetrators of sexual assault typically commit sexual assaults only when they are awake, but it would be ridiculous to suggest that being ...

As the month of April begins, we here at Transitions are preparing for another sexual assault awareness month .   It is during this month that we focus on spreading awareness and informing the community about sexual assault, its prevalence, its effects, and who it can happen to.   This year, during the month of April, one of our focuses is on sexual assault and alcohol use. According to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR), alcohol is involved in more incidents of sexual violence than any other drug.   When an individual is under the influence of alcohol, even if they consent to drinking, they may not be able to make sound decisions.   If they participate in sexual activities, it can be considered rape .   A drunken person (man or woman) is unable to give consent when they are drunk.   Giving someone alcohol in hopes that they will loosen up or lower their inhibitions and have sex is rape. Some people may not realize that using alcohol in...