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The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

How to avoid 'being a victim'

“Rape is the most underreported and unreported violent crime in the United States. One in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assualted during their lifetimes. A college age woman is four times more likely to be a victim of sexual assault.  Janet Black, the Assistant Director of the Rape Crisis Center, gave several tips to avoid becoming a statistic or an assailant.”

Rape is the most underreported and unreported violent crime in the United States. One in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assualted during their lifetimes. A college age woman is four times more likely to be a victim of sexual assault.  Janet Black, the Assistant Director of the Rape Crisis Center, gave several tips to avoid becoming a statistic or an assailant.

Black advised all people to be aware of their surroundings, who they are with. Those sort of basic safety things.

Other safety tips include avoiding isolated places, not isolating yourself with someone you don’t know well or trust, walking without a purpose and trying not to overload yourself with too many bags.

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Carrying too many things can make you look vulnerable and more likely to be attacked.

In order to increase awareness of your surroundings, do not put headphones or earbuds in both ears, especially if you are alone. Make sure your cell phone is with you and charged in case you need to make an emergency call.

Black cautioned that partaking in alcohol or some other drug certainly puts off everybodies judgement.

In social situations, especially ones with alcohol, practice safe drinking. Try not to leave drinks unattended or accept drinks from strangers.

Another tip is to stay with a group or have a buddy system. The risk of potential assault increases when you become isolated or alone.

You’ve got to think about where you put yourself, Terri Heckman the Director of the Rape Crisis Center, said. Are you putting yourself in a vulnerable situation? When you’re first meeting somebody on a Friday night that’s not necessarily the best time to put yourself in a vulnerable situation.

Overwhelmingly the number of victims are women and the number of assailants are men.  The Rape Crisis Center stresses that it is not only the women’s responsibility to avoid becoming the victim it is also men’s responsibility to avoid becoming an assailant.

Not only should young women be concerned about their safety, young men should also be concerned about not becoming a perpetrator as well, Black said.

Men should  be clear about what it is they want from a particular relationship, Black said.

She also said that they should be aware of boundaries, and make sure that they are not coercing or talking a woman into anything.

Guys need to think, has this girl been drinking too much that if I go through with this even though she is acting like she wants me, is she going to file charges on me in the morning? Terri Heckman said.

80 percent of victims know their assailant so it is very important for men and women to know their boundaries and be aware of their environment.

If a woman feels she is being pressured some strategies are to trust her instincts, lie if you need an excuse to leave the situation and always think of potential escape routes.

In case an attack or assault occurs, Black advised vicitms to get to a safe place as quickly as possible.

She also recommended they go to the emergency room at St. Thomas hospital. The hospital houses the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program. They take care of victim’s medical needs and also collect evidence in case the victim chooses to report the crime.

Even if the crime is not reported, Black strongly encourages victims to at least get checked out medically.  There is a 24-hour hotline available for victims to call and speak with an advocate. If they prefer, victims can also arrange face-to-face talk sessions with their advocates.

Heckman stressed everyone to remember drinking is not illegal, being in college is not illegal, making out with a guy is not illegal, being in your room is not illegal, it’s the crime that happens that’s illegal.

More information is available at the Web site www.rain.org.

The 24hr Hotline Number is 877.796.RAPE and the local Akron Hotline is 330.434.RAPE.

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