When Virgina Dicken saw a sign posted at the Student Center stating unmarried sex is a hate crime and sexual abuse, she acted quickly.

Many of her students were concerned they were being accused of violent crimes, said Dicken, director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center.

Dicken said the signs were posted as a means for a group to spread its beliefs about marriage and sex.

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‘There are a lot of different reasons why people don’t participate in marriage. They are not guilty of violent crimes . . . in my opinion, (it’s) slander,’ Dicken said.

Dicken submitted a letter to the editor, which was published in the DAILY EGYPTIAN Friday, explaining why some same-sex and heterosexual couples choose not to marry for religious, political or other such reasons. She said accusing people of crimes because they are incapable or unwilling to marry belittles real acts of violence.

Shortly after the letter was published, the signs were removed, Dicken said.

‘There is a clear difference between abuse and mutually caring, consensual sexual relationships,’ Dicken said in the letter.

Camille Gebur, a senior from Delavan studying English and a GLBT student worker, said the resource center often handles similar issues. It promotes numerous events throughout the year, speaking out on oppression such as name-calling and harassment, Gebur said.

‘(The resource center) is a safe space to come in, hang out, talk if they need to feel welcome on campus . . . we (also) refer people to the Counseling Center,’ Gebur said.

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Adrienne Monty, psychology intern at the Counseling Center, said the therapy group focuses on many challenges.

‘Some of the topics that may be discussed are issues of social support; family, peer, and dating relationships; stress management and coping skills; issues regarding coming out; identity questions or concerns; and homophobia, biphobia and heterosexism,’ Monty said.

The triangle coalition, which began nearly 20 years ago, is a group of faculty and staff that formed to deal with issues, such as health benefits for domestic partners, and voice the opinions of the GLBT community, said Kevin Hostetler, resource center board director.

‘The whole emphasis for the group was for benefits and (a) campus-wide establishment of a resource center board,’ Hostetler said.

The GLBT Resource Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and is located in Woody Hall.

According to the SIUC human resources Web site, SIUC developed a domestic partner insurance policy in 2006. The policy allows faculty and staff with same-sex partners to register with the university. The partners would then be eligible for joint health benefits.

Christina Spakousky can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 258.