Below is an interview with Kelsey Alexander, Coordinator for Prevention of Gender-Based Violence at Albertus Magnus College.
How did you get here? Where did you work before this?
I grew up in Uncasville, Connecticut. I live in Middletown now, and before being hired at Albertus I worked at a domestic violence and sexual assault non-profit in New London, Connecticut. I was a Violence Prevention Educator there for five years, working mostly with middle and high school students. I’ve been at Albertus since the end of February, and have found a new love of working with college students. My job was created because Albertus was awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, so it’s a brand new position. It’s exciting to be a part of building something new on campus.
Tell us about your job? What does “gender-based violence” mean?
“Gender-based violence” is a phrase more people are using now to talk about domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I think the new phrase is an effort to make sure that we’re not referring to any of these issues as only happening to women or girls, because they happen to people of all genders. As Coordinator for Prevention of Gender-Based Violence at Albertus, I’m here to look at the whole picture. I’ll be providing training and programming for students, staff, and faculty to make sure everyone has the skills and the confidence to prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I’ll also be working with Albertus’ public safety team, to make sure they have the training they need to respond effectively if someone calls them about sexual assault or a problem with their boyfriend or girlfriend, looking at our policies about gender-based violence, and making sure that if a student has experienced something, they get connected to people who can support them.
Is gender-based violence an issue at Albertus?
Gender based violence is a national issue. The number of incidents at Albertus is low, but lets remember, domestic violence and sexual assault are generally under-reported crimes, meaning people don’t always tell a public safety officer or someone else who will file an official report. It’s also possible that people could have experienced gender-based violence before they got to Albertus, and we want to make sure those people get the support they need while they’re here. Nationally, the statistics for sexual assault are that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will experience it at some point in their lives; there are definitely survivors in our Albertus family.
Why do you think these crimes are under-reported? Why wouldn’t someone want to make a report if they’ve been hurt by someone else?
We live in a world where people don’t always believe survivors of violence. Reliving trauma is painful and hard; most people won’t want to tell anyone unless they are sure that the person they tell will believe them and take their experience seriously. People of color and the LGBTQ+ people, among others, can have complicated relationships with the police and other institutions; that has to be acknowledged. Survivors do a lot of weighing out the costs versus the benefits of reporting, especially when it comes to interpersonal relationships.
Where can people find you?
My office is on the second floor of McAuliffe Hall, just past the Counseling Center. I’d love to hear from anyone – students, staff, or faculty – who have ideas about what we could be doing better on campus to prevent gender-based violence, or to support people who have experienced it. I mean it – we’re only going to do this work well if there are lots of people involved and people share their ideas. So come see me!
About Kelsey Alexander
Kelsey Alexander (she/her/hers) has been with Albertus since February 2019. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of young people to end violence in our communities and world. She lives in Middletown, CT with her girlfriend and their two cats, and loves hiking, cooking vegetarian feasts, dancing, and going to concerts. She is finishing a Master of Public Health degree in May of 2020.