NIU’s Sexual Assault Task Force will receive a budget this fall totaling about $5,000 to help combat sexual assaults on campus.

Jon Dalton, NIU vice president for student affairs, said the university was able to fund the task force through NIU’s Judicial Office. He said the money will be funded through this particular office because the office will be working closely with the task force.

The funds will pay for film rentals, videos and advertising, among other educational programs, Dalton said.

He said that last year, the number of sexual assaults increased over the number recorded in previous years. However, the task force has not compiled yet the number of sexual assaults that occurred last spring.

Blanche McHugh, training and student development coordinator for housing and a task force member, said the actual number of sexual assaults might not have increased. Rather, she said, the number of people reporting an assault might have increased.

“If more (sexual assaults) get reported, then the increase is positive—more people are getting help, which is one of our (task force’s) goals,” said McHugh.

However, if more sexual assaults are happening than are being reported, then the increase is negative, she said.

Larry Bolles, director of the University Judicial Office, said two sexual assaults were reported through his office last spring, but this number also includes reports of racial discrimination.

He said he believes more sexual assaults have occurred, but the victims might not have reported the incidences at his office.

Through the task force’s program, Sexual Assault Response Team, students who have been sexually assaulted can choose whether they want to report the incident to the university police, the NIU Student Health Center, the NIU Student Development and Counseling Center or the judicial office, McHugh said.

She said victims have the choice of reporting the incident to none, one, all or a combination of the four departments. “It’s in the victims control.”

Dalton said the task force coordinates reports it receives from the university police, the health center, the counseling center and the residence halls on sexual assaults. He said complaints are monitored throughout campus.

McHugh said training more students as referral agents for sexually assaulted victims is a goal of the task force this year.

McHugh said a student sub-committee would be established, consisting of people from different organizations. Students would then be able to help others from the same group, she said.

McHugh said members of the NIU task force want to make students aware that most sexual assaults are acquaintance rapes. She said they want to help students establish healthy sexual relationships.

Carol Rainwater, NIU typing clerk in purchasing, said NIU students also volunteer their services to the DeKalb County Sexual Assault Task Force.

The volunteers have been victims of date rape, Rainwater said.

NIU’s task force will host a sexual assault awareness week each semester, McHugh said. This fall’s awareness week will be Oct. 10 through 14.