Being a player for Coach Emilee Goad has always been beneficial in more ways than one. However, after getting the chance to speak with her about her role at SafePath Survivor Resources of Family Resources, I have found a whole new appreciation for all the “coaching” she provides. Emilee Goad is a former Augustana student athlete and now works for the SafePath program out of Family Resources.
(a contracted agency hired by Augustana). SafePath is a victim service program, offering confidential services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. This year, Goad is focused on reducing the amount of sexual assault and violent cases on campuses, especially Augustana College’s campus. How, you might ask? By finding a way where students are protecting students.
How long have you been involved in SafePath at Family Resources, either in general or here at Augustana?
I have been at Family Resources for 5 1/2 years, but started working with Augustana in 2015 in my role as Confidential Advisor.
Can you explain this new position you have taken?
The position I have in addition to my confidential advisor position is being the person who pushes prevention education and who trains college students to become peer educators. This position has been in the works for a while. We have wanted to make strides in figuring out a way where students can be the educators instead of authority figures. The reason for this is because we find that students will absorb the bystander intervention messages more coming from people who are their age, going through some of the same events in life, and can give a personal perspective, which is easier to relate to. Also, and almost more importantly, we need to, as a student body, look out for one another.
Moving forward with this position, what do you hope to accomplish on campus?
We hope to, generally speaking, change the culture on campus. Students who believe in this change, can make this change. The culture change being referred to is the unhealthy and unsafe culture of gender-based violence. The big-picture goal is to have less sexual assault and less gender-based bias and violence. With a smaller campus like Augie, this is DOABLE! This position directly shows how much this goal needs a team effort to accomplish.
How does being a coach for a women’s collegiate team affect, change, or enhance your Family Resources involvement?
Being a coach, I think, gives me a different perspective…in a good way. When you think about Title IX, athletics definitely come to mind. I think coming from an athletic background in women’s athletics specifically helps me look at this culture change goal in a more well rounded view. So, all in all, it definitely enhances my take on this new position. Equality is a main topic when speaking about issues like this. Equality in sports, relationships, justice and in resources that are made available. Being a coach here at Augustana for a women’s team allows me to understand first hand that everyone having equal access to resources that help them grow in college is a necessity. It is not about gender or any other category…it is about ALL of our community living safer and happier.
If you could give one piece of advice to our community involving sexual assault on campus, what would it be?
Get involved. Change isn’t going to happen unless people get involved. This is everyone’s responsibility. This is our world; we need to fix it.