One in four female college students have been raped or are victims of attempted rape. The alarming statistic cannot be ignored. In some cases, the victims do not know their attackers. Yet, nine out of ten victims do.
The person who is violating their rights and is brutally taking advantage of them without consent might be someone they thought they could trust.
The attacker could be their close guy friend, a guy who sits in the same class, even their boyfriend.
A girl who has too many drinks is not able to speak for herself. Taking advantage of someone who is intoxicated is considered criminal sexual conduct in the third degree. There is a line between having a good time and taking it too far. It is dangerous for girls who could easily think a guy friend or someone she meets at a bar will not hurt her.
Girls need to understand the very real statistics of sexual assault and tips on how to prevent assault from happening or happening to their friends or loved ones.
If you are out at a bar or party, watch your drink. It may seem like no one would try to put anything in your drink, but 25 percent of women reported that drugs were a factor.
Alcohol is the most common date rape drug. Girls who are drinking or are forced to drink a lot may blackout or have trouble remembering what their attacker did to them.
The inability to remember details of an attack and fear of the attacker and their power are all reasons why less than 5 percent of rapes are reported to law enforcement.
If you are a victim, call a hospital immediately and do not shower. This is to save the evidence.
When drinking with friends, whether it is out at a bar or a party, keep an eye on your friends and make sure to stay together as much as possible. That guy that keeps ordering vodka cranberries for your friend might not have the best intentions.
Be careful when walking alone, especially at night. Carry pepper spray for self-defense. Even though scrolling through Instagram or texting is almost second nature, be aware of your surroundings, walk confidently and make sure your phone is charged to call for help if necessary.
If you feel uncomfortable or as though you are being followed, go to a public, well-lit place. Make sure to text or call friends and family about where you are. If you are late they will have an idea of where you might be and can contact police.
Remember that the blame is on the attacker. We have all heard the saying that a girl is “asking for it” if she dresses sexy or that if she is getting tipsy, that it is her fault. This is incredibly wrong and misleading to say. It is never the victim’s fault.
The more that college women and men know and have a conversation about sexual assault and limits, the better society will be. Let’s make sure that the one in four statistic is none in four.