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Previous Topic
Sexual Health
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is an unlawful act that may involve the touching of
intimate body parts, sexual intimidation, or forced sexual penetration. This
includes sexual intercourse, oral sex, and digital penetration. Rape is
forced sexual intercourse. Force may be by verbal threats, physical
restraint, or violence. Stalking is defined as repeated, obsessive,
fear-inducing behavior that makes the victim afraid or concerned for his or
her safety.
A recent study funded by the Department of Justice found that sexual
assault and stalking of college females are widespread and grossly
underestimated. U.S. statistics report:
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About 3% of coeds are raped during each
academic year. Over the course of 5 calendar years, including summers
and vacations, 20-25% may be raped. |
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Nationally, an additional 15.5% of college
females are sexually victimized (e.g., sexual contact is completed with
force or threat of non-physical force, threat of rape, or threat of
contact). |
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Nationally, 13.1% of coeds are stalked
during the academic year lasting an average of 60 days. |
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Nationally, less than 5% of completed and
attempted rapes of college females are reported to the police or campus
officials. About 67% of the victims tell a friend.
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Nine out of 10 victims knew their
assailant. {Note: Almost all sexual assaults on college campuses are
acquaintance rapes and, in most cases, at least one of the persons
involved is under the influence of alcohol or another drug.} |
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Between 3 and 6% of male university
students reported being raped and up to 25% reported being sexually
assaulted. Only about 1% of male rape victims reported it to the police.
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Safety Tips to Reduce the Chances for Sexual Assault
Be aware of the risks of date rape with drinking alcohol. About 75% of
male students who take part in acquaintance rape had been drinking; about
55% of female students had.
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The best defense is to not drink. If you
drink, limit alcohol intake. |
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Don’t drink anything you have not brought
or opened yourself. Don’t drink from another person’s container, from a
punch bowl, beer bong, etc. When at a bar or club, accept drinks only
from a bartender or waiter. |
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Keep your drink in your hand and under
your watch at all times. If needed, have a friend watch your drink. Do
the same for your friend(s). |
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Don’t drink alcohol in a high-risk setting
for sexual assault (e.g., frat house or team parties or with persons you
don’t know and/or trust). |
Be aware of these “date-rape” drugs, which have no odor or color when
mixed with drinks:
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Rophypnol.
See the Drug Chart under “Drugs & Drug Safety”
for the effects of this drug which can last 6 to 8 hours. This drug is
added to drinks and punches at parties, raves, etc., usually to lower
sexual inhibitions in females. When mixed with alcohol or other drugs,
Rophypnol can cause death. |
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GHB and
GLB. See the Drug Chart under “Drugs & Drug
Safety” the effects of this drug which last about 8 hours. If you
have had this drug, you may wake up partially clothed with no
recollection of a sexual assault. GHB is often made in homes with
recipes and ingredients found and purchased on the Internet. GHB can
cause death. |
Consider using a coaster or test strip made to detect date rape drugs in
drinks before you take a sip. An example is Drink Safe Coaster™ by Drink
Safe Technology. For information, contact
www.drinksafetech.com.
If you suspect you have been drugged, keep a sample of your drink. Get
help immediately. Have a friend help you get medical care. Call EMS, if
necessary. Get tested for the drug within 12 hours of the suspected incident
at a hospital emergency department.
Do not have sex with a person who is under the influence of alcohol
and/or drugs which compromise consent. Also, look out for the safety of your
friends and yourself and don’t put yourself in vulnerable situations.
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Alert your female friends (and the
authorities) to rumors of guys using date-rape drugs.
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Don’t assume that anyone under the
influence is “too nice a guy” to commit sexual assault. Intervene on
a friend’s behalf (e.g., walk her out of a party, take her to a safe
place, etc.). |
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Know your sexual limitations and
communicate them both verbally and nonverbally. If you sense you are
being pressured to have sex and don’t want to, state your position
clearly. Say “NO” emphatically when you mean “NO!” Be aware, too,
that a female/partner does not need to say the word “NO” to mean
“NO.” Listen for words like, “I’m just not ready,” “We’re going too
fast,” etc. The female/partner may be afraid to say “NO.” |
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Attend your school’s classes, etc. on
preventing acquaintance rape, sexual assault, etc. Take a class in
self-defense. |
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Carry a cell phone with you to call
for help, if needed. |
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Avoid being alone, especially in
unsafe situations and with strangers and persons you don’t know well
or feel safe with. |
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Keep the doors to your home and car
locked. Don’t open doors to strangers. Don’t tell strangers that you
are alone. |
If Rape Occurs
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Do not shower, clean or wash up in
any way, or change clothing before you go to the hospital
emergency department. Doing so could destroy evidence (e.g.,
blood type, hair samples, etc.) which may not be legally
acceptable if collected later than 72 hours after the rape. If
you have removed clothes worn at the time of the rape, put them
in a paper bag and take them with you to the E.R.
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Get medical or police help right
away. (Date-rape drugs may not be detectable after 12 hours.) Go
to the E.R. Recall and write down as much detail as you can.
Report the rapist’s age, height, weight, race, hair color,
clothing worn, noticeable body marks, tattoos, etc. If a vehicle
was involved, report its type, color, license plate, etc. Take a
friend with you for comfort and support. At the E.R., you will
get information about health care providers in your area who can
help you after the E.R. visit. You will likely use it at some
point. |
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Talk to the emergency care
provider about emergency contraception and tests for STDs. |
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Contact
the Georgetown
University Sexual Assault & Health Issues Coordinator for
information, advocacy, and support at (202) 687-0323.
Or
call the DC Rape Crisis Center at
(202)
333-RAPE( 24-hour hotline).
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If a
rape occurs, go to a hospital ER |
Signs of Pregnancy
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