Sexual Assault Awareness

Now I know my blog says it's all about domestic abuse, but that does not mean I don't advocate for sexual assault awareness and prevention as well! I care just as much about sexual assault as domestic abuse because it hurts. And here we all want to STOP THE HURT. As hopefully all of you know, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month! I know here at URI we're doing our best to raise awareness, and we are hosting booths every Wednesday. If you're a student or faculty member, please come take the pledge to NOT condone, commit, or stay silent about sexual assault. Wear a teal ribbon to support the fight against sexual assault!

DID YOU KNOW: 1 in 6 women is sexually assaulted or has been a victim of attempted rape in her lifetime, and 1 in 6 men is sexually assaulted in his lifetime and 1 in 33 men are victims of attempted rape
DID YOU KNOW: 87% of the victims KNOW the perpetrator
DID YOU KNOW: every 2 minutes in the U.S., someone is sexually assaulted


Sexual assault and sexual violence has a lot going on, so I want to break it down for you. The laws in Rhode Island define it in 3 degrees:

1st degree sexual assault: penetration of any part of the victim’s body by any part of the offender’s body, or by an object.
- this means that it must be a sexual part of the body (not poking a finger in someone's ear, however strange and uncomfortable that may be)

2nd degree sexual assault: sexual contact without penetration for sexual gratification.
- this means the person contacting the victim must be getting some sexual gratification from the touching occurring (the area on the victim does not necessarily have to be a sexual place; it could be their thigh for example)

3rd degree sexual assault: a person who is +18 engages in sexual penetration with a person between 14 & 16. (Consent of the younger person is not a defense.)
- the legal age of consent differs between states, but in Rhode Island it is 16

Sexual assault is not just a legal issue, however. There are many psychological and physical effects that occur. Victims of sexual assault can experience effects very similar to victims of abuse, such as:
- shame/guilt      - self-blame     - anger/irritability    - fear/anxiety    -physical/emotional changes

These are just some of the many psychological and physical effects that may come from sexual assault. It's also important to remember though that no matter how similar an event of sexual assault may be, every individual copes with it differently. Maybe one person who was sexually assaulted suddenly becomes very introverted and stops hanging out with their friends or going out to parties. Maybe they shut themselves off emotionally and become very reserved. However, someone else could do the opposite and become very promiscuous or party excessively. Neither of these coping mechanisms are healthy, and if you see a drastic change in a friend then ask them what's wrong. Even if they weren't sexually assaulted, something is probably going on in their life and they will be happy you asked.

One of the other effects that I want to emphasize is self-blame. Self-blame is common in victims of abuse or assault, and often paired with that shame or guilt. It is NEVER the victim's fault if they are assaulted in any way. Psychologically we try to come up with excuses so that we feel safer thinking it could never happen to us. For example, we try to blame it on how the victim was dressing, or how the victim was "asking for it". Pardon my french but that's absolute bullsh*t. No one would ever ASK to be a victim of assault. Ever. No matter how "slutty" they are dressing, no one wishes to be manipulated or attacked. So no, it is NEVER the victim's fault. If a victim tries to convince you otherwise, please tell them that there is nothing they could have done differently because it was the perpetrator's own horrible choices and foul behaviors, not theirs.

Chances are, if someone is sexually assaulted, they will not likely come forward and tell everyone they know. Statistically only about 20% of sexual assaults are actually reported to the police. That's just the police reports! It's hard enough to tell your friends or family, but imagine having to tell the police? Telling someone you were sexually assaulted is one of the hardest things to do, so if someone tells you: BELIEVE THEM. SUPPORT THEM. And most importantly, tell them how happy you are that they felt comfortable enough to confide in you!

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call 1-800-656-HOPE or visit http://apps.rainn.org/ohl-bridge/ for information. You can get help! Together we must vow to not be silent about this extremely relevant and preventable problem! We must work together to stop this hurt from affecting so many innocent people! If you have done anything to raise awareness or education about sexual assault, feel free to comment in the comment box and share your experience! Thank you!