Violence against women in today’s society is increasing, it is no lie. In 2011 a study was done in order to determine the true numbers of instances of rape, attempted rape, and domestic violence within the United States against women. “Nearly one in five women surveyed said they had been raped or had experienced an attempted rape at some point, and one in four reported having been beaten by an intimate partner. One in six women have been stalked according to the report” (Rabin, 2011), and it is important to note that “only one out of ten rapes are actually reported” (Roger Williams University, 2013).
Even more shocking, perhaps, are the numbers that are associated with collegiate aged women. “37.4% of female rape victims were first raped between ages 18-24” and “in a study of undergraduate women, 19% experienced attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college” (CDC, 2012).
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It is important to understand the facts of the matter regarding these types of sexual assaults. First, “you are not to blame for the assault,” if one should occur. No one “ask(s) to be abused, no matter what you did or who abused you, and “you did not deserve to be abused” (The Women’s Center, 2013). This is an act of physical violence against an individual, nothing more and nothing less. It is not any less serious because of the nature of the crime, nor should there be any embarrassment felt regarding reporting it.
There are several things that may be done in order to prevent these types of assaults from occurring, however. First, “avoid isolated places,” and if you have to go to a place that is isolated, make sure you do so with a friend (The Women’s Center, 2013). “Avoid going by yourself into a room where someone has been drinking” and “clearly communicate your sexual intentions – no means no” (The Women’s Center, 2013). Finally, “trust your instincts – if you sense something is wrong or get a bad feeling, get out of the situation immediately” (The Women’s Center, 2013).
Always remember that actions and words should “communicate the same message” (Southern Illinois University, 2013). Do not say no and then continue to do whatever prompted the advance in the first place. Know your limitations and “be forceful and firm,” remember, at this point it is not a question of being polite, but of making your intentions known – there are times when men may be quite dense (Southern Illinois University, 2013).
Through the process of understanding the risks, understanding that you are not alone, and understanding exactly what may be done by you in order to ensure that you are not placing yourself in a position to where someone may harm you it will be possible to work to avoid this particular ordeal. It is equally important to remember that if such an occurrence does happen to you, that there are people and organizations that may help, and that by keeping silent you are only doing more harm to yourself, your psyche, and allowing the person who engaged in the assault the freedom to do so again, to someone else. Silence is not the answer to this particular issue, but an understanding of what the problem is, how it may be avoided and what options there are available to you should this type of situation occur are the answer. If you are assaulted, call for help, call 911, and do not allow anyone to pressure you into remaining silent on the matter.
- CDC. “Sexual Violence.” Fact Sheets. Centers for Disease Control, 2012. Web. 13 July 2013.
- Rabin, Roni. “Nearly 1 in 5 Women in U.S. Survey Say They Have Been Sexually Assaulted.” New York Times Online. The New York Times, 14 Dec. 2011. Web. 13 July 2013.
- Roger Williams University. “Rape Myths and Facts.” Campus Life. Roger Williams University, 2013. Web. 13 July 2013.
- “Sexual Assault Information.” The Womens Center Inc. The Womens Center Inc, 2013. Web. 13 July 2013.
- Southern Illinois University. “How to Lower Your Risk of Being Sexually Assaulted.” Sexual Assault. Southern Illinois University, 2013. Web. 13 July 2013.
