The Safe Zone Program is here to…

1. Raise the cultural competence of Faculty/Staff at the University to include more knowledge of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning population.
2. Provide assistance to an often marginalized student group through visible support.
3. Educate the student population on the issues and concerns facing the LGBTQ community.
4. Refer students to appropriate campus and non-campus resources for issues and concerns.
5. Retain LGBTQ students at the University through assistance and visible support.

The Safe Zone Program is NOT here to…

1. Force any individual or group to become “Allies.”
2. Take a political stand or support any individual candidates or parties both inside and outside the University.
3. Change any individuals’ personal, spiritual, or religious beliefs.
4. Recruit or change individuals who identify as “heterosexual.”

National Statistics:
The FBI noted in 2006 there were 1,195 incidents of “hate crimes” against individuals based on their sexual orientation.
(http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2006/table1.html)

The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force noted in 2003 that “20 percent [of high school students] fear for their physical safety due to their perceived
sexual orientation or gender identity.”
(http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/campus_climate)

The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) reported in a 2001 study called “The National School Climate Survey”:
-84.3% of LGBT high school students reported hearing homophobic remarks from students
-68.6% of LGBT high school students reported feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation
-83.2% of LGBT high school students reported being verbally harassed(name-calling, threats, etc.) because of their sexual orientation.
-65.4% of LGBT high school students reported being sexually harassed
(http://www.glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ATTACHMENTS/file/294-2.PDF)