2008 Woodie Awards
Know how to respond to rape
Noel Richey
Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Opinion
In 2006, there were six "forcible sex offenses" reported on campus. And here's something to note: According to the U.S. Department of Justice, only 36 percent of rapes, 34 percent of attempted rapes and 26 percent of sexual assaults are reported. Math majors, work that out in your heads, please. For the rest of us, just know that that means a lot.
I would like you to stop and think about what that means for a moment: It means that you know an assault victim, whether you realize it or not.
I am a rape survivor. At least half of the people I know -- men and women -- are rape or sexual assault survivors.
There are a lot of great resources on sexual assault prevention. If you've never seen them, I'll give them a brief summary: The campus police offers an escort service (251-460-6312) to walk you to your car if you get out of class late at night. When you're walking somewhere, especially at night, walk like you know where you're going! Looking like a victim (head down, carrying lots of bags, not paying attention) is a quick way to become a victim. Fight back, and make some noise -- most rapists will immediately decide you're not worth the effort and leave you alone. Be careful of your dates; 68 percent of victims know their attackers. I did. Alcohol is a factor. Be aware of your intake and where your drinks came from.
None of that, however, is what I want to focus on. All of that information is easily available. What many of us don't know, however, is what to do if it does happen, not even necessarily to you. Do you know the steps to take if your best friend calls you at 2 a.m. saying that he or she has been raped?
Well, the first step is the simplest, and often the hardest. Believe him or her. Just because he or she went out on that date, was thinking about sleeping with that new significant other or had been drinking, does not mean he or she hasn't been victimized. Know that men can be victimized, too, and they often have a more difficult time admitting it than women -- after all, if you think that as a woman in our society admitting that you lost control of the situation is scary, try being a man in our society and admitting it.
I would like you to stop and think about what that means for a moment: It means that you know an assault victim, whether you realize it or not.
I am a rape survivor. At least half of the people I know -- men and women -- are rape or sexual assault survivors.
There are a lot of great resources on sexual assault prevention. If you've never seen them, I'll give them a brief summary: The campus police offers an escort service (251-460-6312) to walk you to your car if you get out of class late at night. When you're walking somewhere, especially at night, walk like you know where you're going! Looking like a victim (head down, carrying lots of bags, not paying attention) is a quick way to become a victim. Fight back, and make some noise -- most rapists will immediately decide you're not worth the effort and leave you alone. Be careful of your dates; 68 percent of victims know their attackers. I did. Alcohol is a factor. Be aware of your intake and where your drinks came from.
None of that, however, is what I want to focus on. All of that information is easily available. What many of us don't know, however, is what to do if it does happen, not even necessarily to you. Do you know the steps to take if your best friend calls you at 2 a.m. saying that he or she has been raped?
Well, the first step is the simplest, and often the hardest. Believe him or her. Just because he or she went out on that date, was thinking about sleeping with that new significant other or had been drinking, does not mean he or she hasn't been victimized. Know that men can be victimized, too, and they often have a more difficult time admitting it than women -- after all, if you think that as a woman in our society admitting that you lost control of the situation is scary, try being a man in our society and admitting it.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
student
posted 4/15/08 @ 10:16 PM CST
Great article, but some of the facts at the top are off (it's actually a little worse...). Good job!
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