When a house is robbed, rarely is the question posed of “Why was the house decorated that way if it didn’t want burglarized?” When a car is broken into, no one says “Well it should have been covered up.” But when someone is sexually harassed, assaulted or raped, those are always the first words uttered. Survivors or sexual assault face not only unimaginable trauma, but judgment after the fact. Many survivors don’t report attacks to avoid this or because of the societally prevalent idea that no one would believe them anyway. In the first of two blogs examining why victims don’t report attacks, we’re looking at sexual assault. We spoke to Jeanné Hansen, licensed clinical social worker with the SIU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, about why these crimes go so heavily unreported.

When a house is robbed, rarely is the question posed of “Why was the house decorated that way if it didn’t want burglarized?” When a car is broken into, no one says “Well it should have been covered up.” But when someone is sexually harassed, assaulted or raped, those are always the first words uttered. Survivors or sexual assault face not only unimaginable trauma, but judgment after the fact. Many survivors don’t report attacks to avoid this or because of the societally prevalent idea that no one would believe them anyway. In the first of two blogs examining why victims don’t report attacks, we’re looking at sexual assault. We spoke to Jeanné Hansen, licensed clinical social worker with the SIU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, about why these crimes go so heavily unreported.

Heat stroke is one of the leading causes of death among children. “People must remember that temperatures of cars are very deceiving,” explains Dr. Wendi El-Amin, a family medicine physician at SIU Center for Family Medicine. “One of the greatest tragedies reported in the media each year involve children who are left in cars and die. Approximately 37 children pass away every year from this preventable tragedy.” Children are especially at risk because their bodies overheat approximately five times faster than an adult body. Even with the windows cracked, a vehicle can reach 125° F in minutes

Heat stroke is one of the leading causes of death among children. “People must remember that temperatures of cars are very deceiving,” explains Dr. Wendi El-Amin, a family medicine physician at SIU Center for Family Medicine. “One of the greatest tragedies reported in the media each year involve children who are left in cars and die. Approximately 37 children pass away every year from this preventable tragedy.” Children are especially at risk because their bodies overheat approximately five times faster than an adult body. Even with the windows cracked, a vehicle can reach 125° F in minutes

“I encourage everybody. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what letters you have behind your name—if you’re interested in learning about what I’m doing, I will teach you.” It’s that sort of egalitarian attitude that’s immediately striking about Sandra Ettema, who, despite not caring about the letters behind your name, has an alphabet behind hers: Sandra Ettema, MD, PhD, CCC/SLP. “Teaching my team and having them teach me is better overall for everybody,” says Dr. Ettema, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery who specializes in laryngology. “I want it to be more of a group

“I encourage everybody. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what letters you have behind your name—if you’re interested in learning about what I’m doing, I will teach you.” It’s that sort of egalitarian attitude that’s immediately striking about Sandra Ettema, who, despite not caring about the letters behind your name, has an alphabet behind hers: Sandra Ettema, MD, PhD, CCC/SLP. “Teaching my team and having them teach me is better overall for everybody,” says Dr. Ettema, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery who specializes in laryngology. “I want it to be more of a group

In 1975, the first class graduated from the then just five-year-old SIU School of Medicine. To look at the class photo, two things stand out for those of us looking at it with a 2017 gaze: in this small class of 24 people, there is only one person of color, and not one is female. The 1976 class, the charter class of the school, was significantly larger. The class of ’76 saw 43 graduates. Among those 43, there were no minorities, and just five women: Cris Anderson, MD, Brenda Baumann, MD, Regina Kovach, MD, Kathleen Link, MD, and Mary (Witges) Bengtson, MD. The charter women of SIU School of

In 1975, the first class graduated from the then just five-year-old SIU School of Medicine. To look at the class photo, two things stand out for those of us looking at it with a 2017 gaze: in this small class of 24 people, there is only one person of color, and not one is female. The 1976 class, the charter class of the school, was significantly larger. The class of ’76 saw 43 graduates. Among those 43, there were no minorities, and just five women: Cris Anderson, MD, Brenda Baumann, MD, Regina Kovach, MD, Kathleen Link, MD, and Mary (Witges) Bengtson, MD. The charter women of SIU School of

In 1975, the first class graduated from the then just five-year-old SIU School of Medicine. To look at the class photo, two things stand out for those of us looking at it with a 2017 gaze: in this small class of 24 people, there is only one person of color, and not one is female. The 1976 class, the charter class of the school, was significantly larger. The class of ’76 saw 43 graduates. Among those 43, there were no minorities, and just five women: Cris Anderson, MD, Brenda Baumann, MD, Regina Kovach, MD, Kathleen Link, MD, and Mary (Witges) Bengtson, MD. The charter women of SIU School of

In 1975, the first class graduated from the then just five-year-old SIU School of Medicine. To look at the class photo, two things stand out for those of us looking at it with a 2017 gaze: in this small class of 24 people, there is only one person of color, and not one is female. The 1976 class, the charter class of the school, was significantly larger. The class of ’76 saw 43 graduates. Among those 43, there were no minorities, and just five women: Cris Anderson, MD, Brenda Baumann, MD, Regina Kovach, MD, Kathleen Link, MD, and Mary (Witges) Bengtson, MD. The charter women of SIU School of