Reducing guilt, learning to cope and strengthening self-esteem are all part of the Sexual Assault Recovery Group offered every semester by the University's Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, say its facilitators.

Sexual assault victims meet for 10 weeks from 2:30 to 4 p.m. to talk about their experiences and how it affects their lives, said Patty Johnstone, group facilitator.

The sexual assault recovery group is held every semester based on student demand for the service. The program began last spring when the facilitators noticed the demand for such a program, said Chris Fahey, a CAPS counselor.

Recovery groups are important because they help sexual assault victims overcome feelings of isolation, said Fahey, also a group facilitator.

Members learn to trust others in a group forum, said Katie Nurni, counselor for the Centre County Women's Resource Center.

Survivors of sexual assault may blame themselves, said Johnstone, Center for Women Students sexual assault counselor. She said this feeling develops because today's society often places the blame on the victim in sexual assault crimes.

People sometimes use the manner in which a woman dresses and behaves as a reason to place guilt upon the woman, said Johnstone.

Victims often face other problems such as nightmares, flashbacks, eating problems, loss of concentration and the fear of losing control of emotions, she said.

When talking in a group, members can learn strategies to overcome these problems, Fahey said.

Melissa Brown (graduate-clinical psychology) agreed a group setting can be effective in counseling a vast majority of women. The program's success depends on the experience of the facilitators, the way the program is run, and the people that make up the group, she said.

Brown said "people handle things at different rates," and a victim should not be pressed to talk before she is ready.