The Red Zone
The red zone refers to the period of time between when students arrive on campus for the start of classes and when they leave for Thanksgiving break in November. According to research, this six week period is when half of college sexual assaults occur.
Most students who are sexually assaulted are victimized by someone they know. Although stranger rapes do occur, they account for only about 10% of cases. With 90% of sexual assaults being perpetrated by someone the victim knows, these crimes are still often misunderstood. While they are serious acts of criminal violence, sometimes people have a misconception that acquaintance rape is not as serious or was an accident. In actuality, rape is a felony, regardless of the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim.
College students are in a vulnerable age group for sexual assault and there are a number of factors that place students at an elevated risk during the red zone. Students are away from home, many of them for the first time. Students may use alcohol or drugs to cope with the stress of starting a new chapter of their life. They may be inexperienced with consuming alcohol in moderation. Additionally, students who are new to college have yet to form a group of cohesive friends who watch out for each other. This context is ripe for perpetrators of sexual violence, who tend to seek out situations in which potential victims are vulnerable.
Prevention and Risk Reduction
Most people grow up learning prevention tips to help them avoid sexual assault. Women in particular are taught not walk alone, tell a friend where they will be when going on a date, watch their drink to make sure no one puts drugs in it, carry their keys in their hand when walking to their car and to use the buddy system when going out.
American society is filled with messages about how people can help protect themselves from being a victim of sexual assault. Rarely do we hear about ways that we can avoid being a sexual perpetrator. Read the prevention and risk reduction strategies listed below to learn how to keep you and your partner safe.
Prevention:
Communicate your boundaries and expectations to your partner in advance.
Ask for consent before engaging in sexual activity.
Respect your partner's limits when they say no.
Pick up on physical ques when your partner looks uncomfortable, pulls away or isn’t an equal participant in sexual activity.
Do not pressure your partner into a sexual activity that makes them uncomfortable.
Do not physically overpower your partner.
Do not set unrealistic expectations for dating. For example, paying for your date’s dinner does not entitle you to sexual favors in return.
Consider how alcohol and other drugs impair your decision making abilities. These substances can cloud your judgment and make it difficult to pick up on a "no" from your partner.
Do not encourage your date to drink in excess or provide them with other drugs that will cloud their judgment. If your partner is incapacitated, they cannot give legal consent to sexual activity.
Be aware of what's going on around you. If you see a situation that looks problematic, do something about it.
Promote social norms that protect against violence.
Risk Reduction:
Regardless of how many risk reduction strategies you do or do not use, a survivor is never responsible for being sexually assaulted. Nothing a person says, does or wears makes them deserve to be victimized.
Think about your limits ahead of time, particularly before the influence of alcohol or other drugs. If someone is crossing your boundaries, tell them to stop.
Learn how to communicate your limits so you will be comfortable saying no when you want to.
Be aware of people who continue to push your boundaries after you’ve asserted your limits. Perpetrators purposefully try to push your boundaries to see what they can get away with.
Trust your gut. If you are uncomfortable, listen to your intuition.
If you meet someone online or don’t know them well, do not allow them to pick you up for a date or know where you live.
If you just met someone, meet for dates in public for a while before going to a more intimate location.
Take your time getting to know someone and learn who they really are before jumping into a relationship or intimacy.
Tell your friends when and where you are going on a date. If you met the person online, provide your friends with a photo of your date and ask that they call or text to check on you throughout the night and to make sure you made it home safely.
Always have a backup plan for how to get home in case things don't go the way you expect. Carry extra cash/credit card and have a transportation app downloaded on your phone so you can easily call for a ride.
When you go out, stay with your friends. Don't wander off alone or break off from your friend group and go with people you don’t know well.
If someone offers to walk or drive you home, make sure you know that person well. Oftentimes, perpetrators use this as a way to isolate you and get you in a situation where they can take advantage of you.
Do not accept drinks or medication from anyone. Some over-the-counter medications, when mixed with alcohol, can have similar effects of a date rape drug.
Remember you do not owe anyone your time, attention or body. You have the right to say no at any time, even if you have already started engaging in sexual activity.
Confidential assistance is available through Violence Prevention Education and Advocacy. Contact Director, Jennifer Bodnar, at (504) 520-7503 or jbodnar@xula.edu to schedule an appointment. Services include: