Gov. Rod Blagojevich approved a bill removing the requirement that sexual assault victims report the offense within 30 days of the crime.

The bill also extends the time during which a victim, who may have been drugged, can authorize a urine analysis from 48 hours to 30 days.

Eastern’s campus offers both counseling services and legal advocacy for sexual assault victims on campus and in the Coles and Cumberland county area.

“With legal advocacy, we go through hospital procedures, police interviews and court and judicial board procedures with the victim, if they wish us to do so,” said Bonnie Buckley, executive director for Sexual Assault Counseling Information Services (SACIS).

Along with legal advocacy, SACIS and Eastern’s counseling center offer post sexual assault counseling in either a group or individual setting. Last year, SACIS counseled approximately 30 students and area residents.

Group settings can consist of three to eight people and can either be closed or open sessions.

Open group sessions are ongoing, and people can attend the sessions whenever they are able to make it. Closed group sessions, which have a set group that meets, may have up to 12 sessions.

Individual counseling sessions are up to the individual coming in for counseling.

“Some people may come in once or twice and that is enough for them,” Buckley said. “But, others come for many years; we just go by what the clients feel they need.”

Buckley said there are no sessions going on right now, but she expects some to start as the school year progresses.

SACIS also provides information and referral books and videos about sexual assault for a number of programs on campus.

“We conduct public education programs on date and acquaintance rape and date rape drugs for the football team and other athletic teams on campus,” Buckley said. “We also provide the same programs to train police officers, judicial board, residence hall staff and the counseling center.

“These sessions help prepare (the trainees) on how to handle the emotional aspects victims may go through, as well as what happens in criminal court,” she said.

The counseling center is located on the first floor of the Human Services Building and can be reached at 581-3413.

The SACIS office is located in Lawson Hall’s basement and can be reached at 348-5033, which is a 24-hour crisis hot line.