Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
IF YOU HAVE BEEN ASSAULTED
Sexual Assault
Sexual assaults are acts of violence where sex is used as the weapon. Assaults are motivated primarily out of anger and/or a need to feel powerful by controlling, dominating, or humiliating the victim. Victims /survivors do not cause their assaults and are not to blame. Offenders are responsible for the assaults.
Sexual assault by an acquaintance
Acquaintance rape is a form of sexual assault. Acquaintance rape is rape by a person the victim knows or is acquainted with. Acquaintance rape is the most under-reported and potentially the most psychologically damaging type of sexual offense. College women are in far greater danger of being raped by a friend or fellow student than by a stranger.
If a partner forces you to have sexual intercourse without your consent, it is rape.
Statistics
- There is no significant difference in the problems of sexual assault according to the size of the city, the size of the university, or the demographic profile of the student body.
- The most vulnerable population for campus rape are freshman women during
the first few months of school. (Neimark, Jill. Interactivetheater.org, 2000)
- In 1998 in Wisconsin, over 6000 sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement
agencies. 93% of these assaults were perpetrated by someone known to the victim.
(Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance Statistical Analysis Center, 1998)
- According to the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism 2002 report
on college drinking, an estimated 70,000+ students between the ages of 18
and 24 survive an alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape each year.
- While a lot of attention has been given to "date-rape" drugs such as Rohypnol
and GHB, the number one "date-rape" drug is actually alcohol. (Wisconsin
Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA).
Men as Victims
In 1998 in Wisconsin, 17% of all reported cases of sexual assault involved
a male victim. Of the 967 reported sexual assaults of males in 1998,
63.1% of the perpetrators were male. (Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance
Statistical Analysis Center (OJA), 1999).Traditionally,
our society has said that males should be strong, in control of their emotions,
and able
to
protect
themselves
from
danger.
Inadequacy,
embarassment, fear of not being believed, or fear of rejection are just some
of the feelings that keep male victims from telling loved ones or reporting
the crime (Sinai Samaritan Medical Center).
Drinking and Rape
In an overwhelmingly high percentage of acquaintance rapes, alcohol is a factor; either one or both of the people involved have been drinking. Alcohol lowers inhibitions, slows reaction time, and hampers good judgment. All of these effects leave an individual much more vulnerable to being attacked. Intoxication of either person does not excuse or justify the crime of rape; it is still punishable by law and is against Lawrence University policy.
How to protect yourself against sexual assault
- If you attend large parties, go with friends you can trust. Agree to "look out" for one another. Try to leave with a group rather than alone or with someone you do not know very well.
- If you see a person in trouble at a party or a friend using force or pressuring another individual, do not be afraid to intervene.
- Trust your instincts and get out of any situation that feels wrong.
- Do not assume that someone who has been non-violent in the past will never be violent.
- Be assertive. If you feel you are being pressured or coerced into sexual activity against your will, do not hesitate to communicate your feelings and get out of the situation.
- When you say "NO", say it like you mean it. Back your words with a firm tone of voice and clear body language.
How to stop intimacy from becoming a sexual assault
- Communicate your desires honestly and as early as possible. If you are getting a double message from your partner, speak up and clarify what he/she wants. If there is confusion about what either of you wants, back off and suggest talking about it.
- Listen to your partner, understand what is being said, and accept the decision. "NO" means "NO". Don't read in other meanings.
- You are responsible for your actions. Know your sexual desires and limits. Your feelings may seem beyond your control, but your actions are not. Sexual excitement does not justify forced sex.
- Being turned down when you ask for sexual relations is not a rejection of you as a person. Don't think you are rejecting someone by saying "NO." Passivity might be interpreted as permission.
- Don't assume that your partner's desire for affection is the same as a desire for intercourse.
- Don't assume that previous consent to sexual activity applies to the current situation.
What to do if you are sexually assaulted*
- Do not blame yourself. A common response to sexual assault is a
sense of guilt. This line of thinking is especially common when the sexual
assault is committed by someone you know. Most perpetrators would have assaulted
someone else if you had not been there.
- Do not bathe, douche, brush your teeth, change clothing, or even comb your hair. It is only natural to want to do these things, but you may be destroying evidence you will need if you decide to prosecute.
- Get immediate medical attention. It is important that you seek medical
attention because you could be injured externally and/or internally. An immediate
medical examination will also test for pregnancy and venereal disease, two
realistic concerns following a sexual assault. In addition, a medical examination
can provide evidence of sexual assault if you should decide to prosecute.
- Take care of yourself. Unfortunately, you may relive the experience
of being sexually assaulted over and over again, all the while being critical
of yourself. You may wonder if you might have been able to prevent the sexual
assault if
you had said
or done something differently or perhaps fought harder. These feelings need
to be worked out and Counseling Services is available to help you. Call x6574.
You can also call the Sexual Assault Crisis Center of the Fox Cities at 733-8119.
- Report the crime. The decision is yours, but reporting a sexual
assault does not mean you have to prosecute. Sexual assault violates Lawrence
University policy and Wisconsin law. You are encouraged to report the sexual
assault to the police and university officials. Remember, the choice is yours.
- Consider talking to a member of the Sexual Harassment and Assault Resource Board (SHARB). Click here for more information.
Sexual assault laws in Wisconsin There
are four degrees of sexual assault in Wisconsin, all of which include non-consensual
sexual intercourse or harassment. The penalties range from five-year imprisonment
and/or a $10,000 fine for sexually harassing another individual to 20 years
imprisonment for using threatening force. In Wisconsin consent consists of
words or actions that are freely given indicating agreement to have sexual
contact.
Silence or submission are not consent. Sexual contact
without consent is against the law.
If someone you know is sexually assaulted:*
- Believe him/her no matter what.
- Listen patiently and accept his/her choice not to talk about all aspects of what happened.
- Be physically and/or emotionally comforting depending on what he/she is comfortable with at the time.
- Reinforce that the sexual assault was not his/her fault.
- Provide protection by ensuring that he/she has a safe place to sleep and/or a safe place to stay.
- Encourage calling a counselor or crisis center while assuring that he/she is not required to report the crime to the police.
- Encourage him/her to preserve evidence in case he/she decides to prosecute.
- Try to convince him/her to seek prompt medical attention.
- Offer to help organize his/her thoughts, but allow him/her to make all of the decisions. Let the individual remain in control about how to proceed.
- Be available for the individual.
- Learn all you can about the effects of sexual assault.
- Take care of yourself. You may have feelings that have surfaced because of the situation. It is extremely important for you to seek support for yourself.
*Sources of information (available at Counseling Services)
I Never Called It Rape by Robin Warshaw
If You Are Raped by Kathryn Johnson
