Sexual Assault

What is Sexual Assault?

No one likes to think about it, but unfortunately it is a serious problem on campuses nationwide. It is a violent crime which affects everyone, not only the survivor. Acquaintance rape is defined as forced or manipulated sexual contact or intercourse by a friend or acquaintance. It is an act of violence, aggression, and power. Recent studies have shown that acquaintance rape occurs more frequently among college-age women than among any other group. In fact, one study has found that one out of every four women have been survivors of an actual or attempted sexual assault or rape during their college years. In light of these staggering statistics, the UCONN Violence Against Women Prevention Program (VAWPP), offers this online brochure as a way of educating people about the multifaceted issue of acquaintance rape.

Facts and Figures

• One fifth of college women experience forced sex by someone they know. (Ms. Magazine/National Institutes of Health Study)
• More than 80% of all rapes are acquaintance rapes. (U.S. Justice Department)
• The majority of acquaintance rapes are committed against women between the ages of 15 and 24. (U.S. Justice Department)
• A woman is raped every two and one-half minutes in this country. (Senate Judiciary Committee)
• 90% of all rape survivors are women. (F.B.I.)
• 90% of all rapes are planned although the victim is not always known. (National Victim Center)
• One third of all rapes are committed by two or more assailants. (Project on the Status and Education of Women)

Myth vs Reality

• MYTH: Survivors are to blame in some way for the assault.

  FACT: The rapist is always responsible for having committed the rape. Survivors do not "ask" to be raped, regardless of the clothes she was wearing, her appearance, behavior, judgment, or previous actions.

• MYTH: Rape is usually committed by strangers.

  FACT: Women are in far greater danger of being raped by a friend or fellow student than by a stranger. Almost 90% of college women who were raped knew their assailants. One reason why acquaintance rape is so traumatic is because the survivor's trust in others and in her own judgment is seriously damaged.

• MYTH: Rapists are mentally deranged men with uncontrollable sexual desires.

  FACT: Studies have shown that only 5% of convicted rapists have a diagnosed mental disorder. Men are fully responsible for controlling both their minds and their bodies. Most men rape because they feel a sense of entitlement.

• MYTH: Only women can be raped.

  FACT: 10% of rape survivors are male. Note: as 90% of rape survivors are female and 98% of perpetrators are male, most of the information in this online brochure is focused on female survivors.

Risk Reduction for Men & Women

Men:

• Do not listen to or tell rape jokes. They help perpetuate attitudes that make acceptance and tolerance of rape easier.
• Never insist on having sex, even if you think she's "leading you on", dresses provocatively, or if you have had sex with her before.
• If you are getting mixed signals from a woman, stop and ask her directly what she wants.
• Use alcohol responsibly. Alcohol and drugs are implicated in many rapes and diminish our judgment and sensitivity. Being drunk is not a legal defense--you can and will be charged and convicted of rape.
• Remember that "no" means "NO". If you do not accept a woman's refusal to consent, you run the risk of raping her.
• Remember silence is NOT consent.

Women:

• Trust you intuition.
• Be assertive. State clearly what you want and do not want. Do not be shy about setting your limits. It is potentially dangerous to think it cannot and will not happen to you.
• Be aware of your surroundings, and ask yourself who else is around the immediate area.
• Use alcohol responsibly. 80%-90% of acquaintance rapes involve alcohol and/or drugs. These drugs cloud your judgment, numb your reflexes, and make it difficult to anticipate a situation in which sexual assault might occur. Beware of men who are angry or hostile if you say no; threaten, bully, or try to control you; have been violent with previous girlfriends; engage in sexual harassment or tell sexist jokes; try to make you feel guilty or accuse you of being uptight if you say no.

What to Do if Assaulted

1. Trust your instincts--your first responsibility is to yourself.
2. Get medical attention immediately for possible external and internal injuries, STD's, and pregnancy. Evidence collection can be done at this time, whether or not you choose to tell the police.
3. Tell someone. It helps to have "witnesses" to make you feel stronger.
4. Consider whether you want to report the rape to the police and/or university officials. This is a decision only you can make. Filing charges can give a woman a sense of empowerment. If you choose not to, there is a chance your attacker will rape someone else.
5. # Believe in yourself. What happened to you was wrong, regardless of whether you were dating your attacker, or if you were longtime friends, casual acquaintances, or strangers to each other.
6. Contact the Community Response Team.

How to Help

• Believe her/him.
• Listen and protect the survivor's privacy by not sharing the conversation with others.
• Reinforce that the rape was NOT the survivor's fault.
• Encourage the survivor to get medical attention and emotional support from the available resources.
• Encourage the survivor to preserve evidence by not showering before the post-rape exam and placing each article of clothing worn during the assault in its own paper or plastic bag.
• Be there emotionally for her/him.

Resources

Any individual who has been sexually assaulted can use any of the following confidential services at anytime.

• Women's Center and VAWPP
  (860) 486-4738
• Student Health Services
  (860) 486-4700
• Counseling and Mental Health Services
  (860) 486-4705
  (860) 486-3427 (after hours emergencies during academic year)
• University Police
  (860) 486-4800 (routine calls) or 911 (emergency calls)
• Dean of Students Office
  (860) 486-3426
• Department of Residential Life
  (860) 486-3430
• Sexual Assult Crisis Center of Eastern Connecticut
  (860) 456-2789 (hotline)
  (860) 456-3595 (Willimantic Office)
  (860) 774-9690 (Danielson office)
• Community Response Team