[A closer look] Myriad resources available for survivors

If raped or sexual assaulted, UCLA students can take some
comfort knowing they have access to some of the best and most
advanced treatment throughout the nation.

Victims of sexual assault and rape have many resources both on
and off campus that can be utilized simultaneously.

One of the prime resources offered on campus is the Center for
Women & Men, located in the Student Activities Center.

From providing post-assault treatment to connecting students to
legal assistance and talking to faculty, the center makes sure the
survivor gets a full range of services, said Tina Oakland, director
of the Center for Women & Men.

“We are the hub of the wheel with a number of
spokes,” Oakland said, adding that they can connect students
to a number of services on campus such as the UC Police Department
or Student Psychological Services.

The Center for Women & Men, like other entities on campus
that provide assistance in such situations, refers victims of
sexual assault to the Rape Treatment Center in Santa Monica, an
affiliate of the UCLA Medical Center that has been praised as one
of the best sexual assault treatment facilities in the nation.

When students go to the UCPD after explaining their
circumstances, the station provides them with an immediate escort
to the Rape Treatment Center and a ride back.

“We are a good first resource to call ““ we have
authority to arrest; we are here 24 hours, and our priority is
definitely the survivor,” said Nancy Greenstein, director of
police community services for the UCPD.

Greenstein added that whether or not the student wishes to file
a report, the services are always available.

Though the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center does
provide pregnancy tests and emergency contraceptives, if a possible
rape or sexual assault victim comes in, they are immediately
referred to the Treatment Center in Santa Monica.

“To not utilize the Rape Treatment Center in Santa Monica
would not be in the best interest of the patient,” said Ann
Brooks, a nurse practitioner and nurse manager at Women’s
Health Services, a subdivision within the Arthur Ashe Center.

Brooks also emphasized that most of the time, victims do not
have the intention of pressing charges in the beginning but then
change their decision later on.

“We don’t have the capacity to do evidence exams and
on-site counseling, so it is best for the patient to go to Santa
Monica,” she said.

In addition to providing free services, the treatment center
also provides counseling and 24-hour emergency medical and forensic
examinations.

The facility uses some of the most advanced medical tools and
has medicine that the victims can use up to 72 hours after the
incident to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections
from becoming serious. In addition, depending on the specific case,
the facility is able to provide medical and forensic examinations
within the first 96 hours of the assault. Victims are still
strongly encouraged to contact the treatment center even if it has
been over 96 hours.

Because it is furnished like a room in someone’s home,
Oakland said the treatment center creates a very comfortable
atmosphere.

“It has couches and chairs and is nicely furnished ““
private and safe,” said Gail Abarbanel, director of the Rape
Treatment Center in Santa Monica. “We felt that being in the
emergency room is re-traumatizing the victim ““ it’s
busy and chaotic. We wanted a more quiet place.”

For more information, visit the Center for Women & Men at
www.thecenter.ucla.edu.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *