April raises assault awareness
Kate Jacobs
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: News
Western Illinois University joins the effort against sexual violence with its participation in Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
One in four American women and one in six American men have been the victim of sexual assault.
Sexual assault is even more prevalent on college campuses. Women between the age of 16 and 25 are three times more likely to be raped than those in any other age group.
The Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency designates an incoming college freshman's first few weeks of school as the "red zone." This is due to the especially high occurrence of sexual assault within that time frame.
On April 9, Western Illinois is hosting the second annual Take Back the Campus event. The university Web site states, "TBTC is an inclusive concert and resource fair that brings students, faculty and staff together in an effort to create a united front to end sexual and domestic violence."
The Clothesline Project display will be held on April 15. This event will be a showing of T-shirts made by students, community members and campus organizations in honor or memory of victims of sexual crimes.
April is also the official month for alcohol awareness. Coupling alcohol and sexual abuse awareness is no coincidence. The WIRC-CAA reports that up to 72 percent of acquaintance rapes on college campuses involve alcohol.
Alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions. This often results in regret of a decision made while intoxicated.
Illinois law states that if a person is under the influence of alcohol, other drugs or any other intoxicating substance they cannot legally give consent for sex.
The WIRC-CAA advocates viewing intoxication as a "stop sign" for sex. This perspective effectively eliminates possible misunderstandings, sexual regrets and the potential for rape charges.
While alcohol is the most frequently used date rape drug, many others are on the rise. Western Illinois health sciences professor Joanna Graham has been teaching her students the dangers of "date rape drugs" for years. Graham said Ketamine, Rohypnol and GHB are the three most prevalent of the date rape drugs in the U.S.
One in four American women and one in six American men have been the victim of sexual assault.
Sexual assault is even more prevalent on college campuses. Women between the age of 16 and 25 are three times more likely to be raped than those in any other age group.
The Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency designates an incoming college freshman's first few weeks of school as the "red zone." This is due to the especially high occurrence of sexual assault within that time frame.
On April 9, Western Illinois is hosting the second annual Take Back the Campus event. The university Web site states, "TBTC is an inclusive concert and resource fair that brings students, faculty and staff together in an effort to create a united front to end sexual and domestic violence."
The Clothesline Project display will be held on April 15. This event will be a showing of T-shirts made by students, community members and campus organizations in honor or memory of victims of sexual crimes.
April is also the official month for alcohol awareness. Coupling alcohol and sexual abuse awareness is no coincidence. The WIRC-CAA reports that up to 72 percent of acquaintance rapes on college campuses involve alcohol.
Alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions. This often results in regret of a decision made while intoxicated.
Illinois law states that if a person is under the influence of alcohol, other drugs or any other intoxicating substance they cannot legally give consent for sex.
The WIRC-CAA advocates viewing intoxication as a "stop sign" for sex. This perspective effectively eliminates possible misunderstandings, sexual regrets and the potential for rape charges.
While alcohol is the most frequently used date rape drug, many others are on the rise. Western Illinois health sciences professor Joanna Graham has been teaching her students the dangers of "date rape drugs" for years. Graham said Ketamine, Rohypnol and GHB are the three most prevalent of the date rape drugs in the U.S.
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