<ul><li> Prof leading fight against sexual aggression on 'V-Day' and beyond</li></ul>

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Prof leading fight against sexual aggression on 'V-Day' and beyond

Topics in this story: American politics and society, Dean of Students office, News tips and sources, People, SAPA

SOURCE:
Stephen Thompson, associate professor, physical education and sport, and
coordinator, Sexual Aggression Services
Central Michigan University
Phone: 989-774-6677
E-mail: thomp1sm@cmich.edu
Web site: http://www.stephenmthompson.com

Feb. 14 is now a day dedicated to more than Valentines and love. "Vagina Monologues" playwright Eve Ensler has dubbed the day "V-Day" to draw attention to sexual aggression toward women. Central Michigan University's Stephen Thompson, a nationally known expert, has dedicated his life to this cause and can speak about V-Day and issues dealing with sexual aggression, stalking, rape, harassment, avoidance and prevention strategies, behavioral analysis, and profiles of offenders.

Thompson's assignment as a women's self-defense instructor at Indiana University in the 1970s unexpectedly led to a lifetime fight against sexual aggression.

"One of the students I had in the class was raped," Thompson said. "She called for me. When I arrived, she gave me a hug and vented &mdash cried so hard I was literally holding her up.

"I had not experienced that before," he said. "She apologized to me for letting me down. She kicked at his groin and fought, doing everything I taught her, but she said she failed me. It was I who should have apologized, because I had failed her.

"It was then that I began to question what rape really is, who the predators are and what is actually effective against them," he said.

So began a 35-year career for Thompson at Central Michigan University.

After the rape of his student &mdash a woman whose last name he cannot recall, but whose experience and words still guide his work every day &mdash Thompson visited and interviewed imprisoned rapists and even "worked the streets" for six months with Albuquerque police to learn more about sexual aggression and its predators.

A few of Thompson's career highlights:

Authored "No More Fear," a book about sexual aggression avoidance, now in its fourth edition.
Authored the most comprehensive profile and behavior pattern analysis of date/acquaintance rapists, published in the May 1995 edition of Campus Law Enforcement Journal.
Serves as an assault investigation consultant and sex crimes profiler for police officers and as a court-qualified expert witness.
Advises CMU's Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates, a CMU student group that includes both female and male members and was the first highly trained university student peer advocate program in the nation. SAPA members receive more than 50 hours of training per year to assist individuals who have been &mdash or know someone who has been &mdash sexually assaulted, harassed, abused or stalked. The group is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week during CMU's fall and spring semesters.
Authored and directs SAPA's "No Zebras, No Excuses," a new student orientation program that was the first mandatory sexual aggression awareness program for new students at a Division I university. A DVD of "No Zebras, No Excuses" has been distributed nationally.
Has presented more than 800 programs for educational, corporate and community audiences.