The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame and
and report
Saint Mary’s
it accurately
Volume 51, Issue 34 | FRIDAY, October 7, 2016 | ndsmcobserver.com
Speaker shares outlook on depression Kevin Briggs, former highway patrolman who prevented suicides, speaks about mental illness By LUCAS MASIN-MOYER News Writer
“[In 2014], we had over 32,000 traffic accident fatalities, but over 42,000 deaths from suicide ... Look at the money we spend on traffic, safet y belts and ever y thing else,” Sergeant Kev in Briggs said Thursday evening in DeBartolo Hall. “How much do we spend on mental health? Not nearly enough.” Briggs, a former highway patrolman who has talked many indiv iduals out of committing suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, spoke as a part of Irish State of MiND Week. He discussed his experiences helping those w ith depression, his ow n struggles w ith depression and on suicide prevention. Briggs said the most important aspect in helping others is establishing trust. “W hat I have learned is to empower these folks the best that I can,” he said. “I want
to develop a rappor t — I use t heir f irst na me, t hey use my f irst na me. Developing t hat rappor t is t he biggest t hing.” This empowerment was crucial in preventing indiv iduals from jumping off the bridge, Briggs said. “W hat I want to happen to come back on their ow n, I w ill help them — I don’t want to grab them,” he said. “Coming back on your ow n, to face ever y thing you went over for, takes a lot of courage.” W hile attempting to help those w ith depression, Briggs said he was simultaneously struggling w ith depression of his ow n, due to cancer, the death of his mother, a concussion and divorce. “So all this stuff took a heav y, heav y toll on me in the form of depression. W hat I found out was that I could go to work and function at see BRIGGS PAGE 3
LUCAS MASIN-MOYER | The Observer
Kevin Briggs addresses crowd in DeBartolo Hall on Thursday. The talk was a part of the University’s annual Irish State of MiND week, which aims to raise awareness about mental illness on campus.
Student group fosters support for survivors
SMC holds debate viewing party By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer
Saint Mary’s Student Government Association, College Republicans and College Democrats will sponsor a presidential debate viewing party in Carroll Auditorium on Sunday at 9 p.m. Junior SMC College Republicans vice president Anna McCambridge said the debate viewing party is informal and open to everyone. “Individuals are able to come and go as they please, grab a snack [or] stay for the entire debate if they want,” she said. Sophomore SGA member Emma Lewis said the main reason for hosting a debate viewing party is to keep
NEWS PAGe 3
students involved in the election process. “SGA decided to host this because the presidential election is a major concern for most Americans,” she said.“We hope that having a viewing party will encourage students to watch the debate to gain a greater understanding of where candidates stand on issues, so that when it comes time to vote, students will make informed decisions about who to vote for.” McCambridge said she hopes everyone, regardless of political ideology, decides to attend. “By holding the watch party, we are encouraging Belles to be as aware and informed as possible about the upcoming election,” she said. “We are see DEBATE PAGE 3
SCENE PAGE 4
By EMILY McCONVILLE News Writer
Last Friday, a confidential support group for sur v ivors of sexual assault met for the first time at the Universit y Counseling Center (UCC). Senior Grace Watkins, who organized the group, said it is meant to help sur v ivors get to know each other, gain access to other resources and share information. “A high percentage of female students at Notre Dame experience sexual misconduct in some form, but ver y few know each other, so I thought a support group would give these students an opportunit y to share their experiences w ith each other and know
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
that they are not alone in many ways,” she said. “A lot of the things that feel unusual about your ow n recover y and healing is actually not unusual, and you can find that out by talking to others.” Watkins, who is the student body government’s policy chief and has advocated to the Universit y on behalf of sexual assault v ictims, said she began to look into starting a support group after Notre Dame released its 2015 Campus Climate sur vey and after she learned about similar groups at other universities, such as Columbia’s No Red Tape. Watkins worked w ith Gender Relations Center (GRC), Notre Dame’s Title
IX office and the UCC to decide on a time, place and model. Student government then advertised the group, which is set to meet ever y other Friday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the 3rd-f loor conference room in Saint Liam Hall. Similar programs existed at Notre Dame in the past — over the past several years, the St. Joseph Count y Family Justice Center periodically organized Out of the Shadows, a support group on campus, but that group required at least five participants and was not available ever y year, said Christine Caron Gebhardt, director of the GRC and cochair of the Committee to see GROUP PAGE 3
IRISH INSIDER WITHIN