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AndieHach
SeniorExitProject
Mr.Scanlan
10Nov.2014
SexualAssault
Manystudentsareexcitedtoentercollege.Therearenewresponsibilitiesandmany
differentopportunities.Studentscangotosportingevents,parties,andextracurriculareventsto
meetnewpeople,andmaybeevenromanticinterests(Wilson).However,studentsaretaughtto
becarefulinnewsituations.Thereisnotellingifsomeonetheymeetmaybeasexualpredator.
Manywomenaretoldtobecautiousofnewmentheymeet,andtoalwayswatchtheirdrinksat
parties.Althoughthisinformationistrueandveryhelpful,isitnotsadthatmenandwomenhave
toliveinconstantfearofsexualassault?MelissaFritchle,asextherapistandauthorofThe
ConsciousSexualSelfWorkbook,statesthat,Youshouldbeabletogetdrunkatapartyandnot
beviolated(Hartmans).Thisseemslikecommonsense,butasweknow,thisisnotalwaysthe
case.WeasasocietyarecurrentlylivinginaRapeCultureduetomalesexualaggressionand
thegeneralacceptanceofviolenceagainstwomen.
Thissummer,agirlnamedJadawasrapedatapartywhensheblackedoutafter
consumingaspikeddrink.Soonaftertheattack,aphotosurfacedontheinternetofJadaona
floor,halfnakedandunconscious.Taggedas#JadaPose,thephotoquicklybecameapopular
jokeontheinternet.Somewouldconsidertheinternetsreactiontothephototofitintothe
definitionofRapeCulture.The1993bookTransformingaRapeCulture,definesRape
CultureasAcomplexsetofbeliefsthatencouragesmalesexualaggressionandsupports

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violenceagainstwomen.Itisasocietywhereviolenceisseenassexyandsexualityasviolent...
.Womenperceiveacontinuumofthreatenedviolencethatrangesfromsexualremarks,tosexual
touching,torapeitself.TheresultofaRapeCultureisthatrapeisnormalizedandthevictims
areoftenblamed.SalamishahTillet,Ph.D,isanEnglishprofessorattheUniversityof
PennsylvaniaandacofounderofALongWalkHome,anonprofitorganizationwhosegoalisto
endviolenceagainstwomen.ShestatesthatFrompreschoolon,wearetaughttothinkabout
boysaggressioninonewayandgirlspassivityinanother.Girlsarerarelytaughttheyhavea
righttoagencyandbodilyautonomy,whileboysaretaughtthattheyhaveunfetteredaccessto
womensbodies.Therationaleforproclivityofrapeisthatboysarejustbeingboys.In2012,
twohighschoolboysfromOhiowereaccusedofthesexualassaultofasixteenyearoldgirl.A
volunteercoachoftheboysfootballteamtoldtheNewYorkTimesthatTherapewasjustan
excuse,Ithink.Whatelseareyougoingtotellyourparentswhenyoucomehomedrunklikethat
andafteranightlikethat.Shehadtomakeupsomething.Afterthetwoboyswereconvicted,
therewasashiftinsocietyconcerningrape.Peoplestartedtotalkaboutfocusingonprevention
andonchangingthemindsetsofpotentialoffendersinsteadofcenteringonthevictim
(Maxwell).
Manypeopleintodayssocietyareunawareofwhatsexualassaultexactlyis.LynnB.
Daugherty,authorofWhyMe?HelpForVictimsofChildSexualAbuse,definessexualassaultas
Anytypeofsexualcontactorbehaviorthatoccurswithouttheexplicitconsentoftherecipient
(Daugherty11).Whenitcomestosexualassault,therearemanydifferenttypesofassaults.One
obvioustypeisrape.Despitethefactthatmanypeoplethinkrapeisduetosexualdesire,itis
morecommonlyaformofaggressionthatisexpressedthroughsexualacts(Daugherty25).

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Therearetwogeneraltypesofrape,onebeingAcquaintanceRapeandtheotherbeing
StrangerRape.AcquaintanceRapeisdefinedbytheRape,Abuse,&IncestNationalNetworkas
Coercivesexualactivitythatoccursagainstapersonswillbymeansofforce,violence,duress,
orfearofbodilyinjury.AcquaintanceRapeisimposedbysomebodyknowntothevictimand
canbebrokendownintothreecategories:Intrusion,Desensitization,andIsolation.Intrusionis
whentheoffendertriestoimpedeonavictimspersonalspaceandcomfort.Manyperpetrators
trytogaintrustbyrevealingpersonalinformation.Desensitizationiswhenthevictimis
comfortablewiththeoffenderandtheydonotviewtheirunwelcomeactionsasthreatening.
Theymayfeeluneasy,buttheyconvincethemselvesnottoworryaboutit.Lastly,Isolationis
whentheperpetratorusesthetrustofthevictimtoalienatethemfromothers.
StrangerRapeistheattackbyacompletestrangerandcanalsobebrokendownintothree
categories:BlitzSexualAssault,ContactSexualAssault,andHomeInvasionSexualAssault.
BlitzSexualAssaultisusuallyaquickandbrutalattackonavictimwhomtheyhavehadno
priorcontactwith.Theseattacksmostcommonlyoccuratnight,andinpublicplaces.Contact
SexualAssaultiswhentheperpetratorhaspreviouslymadecontactwiththevictimandhastried
togaintheirtrust.Theythenusuallytrytocoercethevictimintoasexualassaultsituation.
Finally,HomeInvasionSexualAssaultiswhentheattackerbreaksintothevictimshometo
committhecrime(Statistics).
Sexualassaultdoesnotonlyhappeninhomesandunsuspectinglocationsithappenson
collegecampusesaswell.Thefirstmonthofcollegeiswhensexualassaultismostlikely,andby
theendoftheyear,fivepercentofcollegewomenhaveexperiencedsexualassault.Alongwith
that,ninepercentofcollegemenadmittoactionsthatmeetthedefinitionofsexualassault.The

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highestrisksituationforcollegewomeniswhentheybecomevoluntarilyintoxicated.Frequent
drinkingincreasesafemaleschanceofbeingrapedbyeighttimes.Relatingtothis,inalmost
eightypercentoffemalerapesincollege,thewomanisintoxicated.Womeninsororitiesare
seventyfourpercentmorelikelytoberapedthananyotherwomenincollege.Twostudieshave
alsoshownthatfraternitymenarethreetimesmorelikelytocommitsexualassaultthanother
menincollege(SexualAssaultStatistics).
Inaccordancewiththelargeamountofalcoholusedinsexualassaults,manyrapistsuse
drugsinattackingtheirvictims.DrugfacilitatedsexualassaultisdefinedasWhendrugsor
alcoholareusedtocompromiseanindividualsabilitytoconsenttosexualactivity.Inaddition,
drugsandalcoholareoftenusedtoreducetheresistanceanddamagethememoryofasexual
assaultvictim.Althoughalcoholisthemostcommondrugusedinsexualassaults,itisnotthe
onlyone.Othercommondrugsinclude:Rohypnol,GHB,Ketamine,ecstasy,and
Benzodiazepines.Whenitcomestoparties,peopleneedtobeverycautiousofthesedrugs.They
shouldneverleavetheirdrinksunattendedandshouldonlydrinkfromunopenedcontainers.
Peopleshouldalsoonlyacceptsdrinksfromtrustedfriends,andtheyshouldcomeandleave
partieswithagroupoffriends(Statistics).
Whenitcomestotheaveragerapist,aroundninetyeightpercentofthemaremen,and
fiftytwopercentarewhite(SexualAssaultStatistics).Theaverageageforarapistis
thirtyoneyearsold.Overfiftypercentoftheattackersareacquaintancesofthevictim,andmany
haveneverbeenmarried(GettheFacts).Mostperpetratorsofsexualassaultareverysimilarin
mindset.PerpetratorsTendtobepartofsexuallyviolentallmalesubculturesthatnormalize

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sexualconquests....[Theyview]rapeasbeingacceptable,noncriminal,andthesignofmale
virility(SexualAssaultStatistics).
Whenitcomestorape,therearethreemainmotives.Theseinclude:anger,power,and
sadism.TheAngerRapistattackstoventtheirrage.Theirgoalistocausepain,andtheyusually
actwithoutplanning.ThePowerRapistisinsecureandtheirgoalistoconquerandcontrolto
feelpower.Theymostcommonlyuseonlyenoughforceastheyseenecessaryandafterwards
theyfeelimportantandconfidentinthemselves.TheSadisticRapistisapersonwith
psychologicalproblems.Theymixsexualitywiththeiraggressionandtheygetenjoymentoutof
thetortureandinjuryofvictims.TheseSadisticRapesoftenendinhomicide.
ThisstatisticisevenmoredisturbingduetothefactthataccordingtotheRapeCrisis
CenterofMedinaandSummitCounties,oneinfourwomenintheUnitedStatesissexually
assaultedintheirlifetime(GettheFacts).ThisamountstooneAmericanbeingsexually
assaultedeverytwominutes,andanaverageof237,868sexualassaultseveryyear(Statistics).
Althoughtwentyfivepercentofwomenwillbesexuallyassaultedintheirlifetime,femalesare
nottheonlyvictims.In2003,tenpercentofrapevictimsweremale,and2.78millionmeninthe
UnitedStateshavebeenvictimsofsexualassault(Maxwell).Itisnotonlyadultsthatarebeing
attackedeither.Aroundfifteenpercentofallsexualassaultvictimsareundertwelveyearsold,
andninetythreepercentofthesevictimsknowtheirattacker(Statistics).Thisisduetothefact
thattwooutofthreesexualassaultsarecommittedbysomeoneknowntothevictim(Getthe
Facts).Also,approximatelyfortytwopercentoffemalevictimsofrapewerefirstattacked
beforetheyturnedeighteen.Thisstatisticgoesalongwiththefactthatgirls,agessixteenthrough
nineteen,areaboutfourtimesmorelikelytobevictimsofsexualassault(GettheFacts).

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Sometimes,victimsofsexualassaultcanbecomeperpetratorsofsexualassaultthemselves
(Daugherty101).
Immediatelyafteranattack,manyvictimssustaininjuries.However,onlythirtysix
percentofinjuredvictimsreceivemedicalcare.Themajorityofthosewhogetmedicalattention
dosothroughhospitalservices.Aroundthirtythreepercentofvictimshaveminorphysical
injuries,likebruisesorchippedteethfivepercenthavemajorphysicalinjuries,likebroken
bonesorgunshotwoundsandsixtyonepercenthaveundeterminedinjuries.
Notallinjuriestovictimsarephysical.Afteranattack,victimsgothroughthreestages
ofmentality.Theseinclude:Crisis,Suffering,andResolution.TheCrisisStageiswhenthe
victimisinshockordenial.TheSufferingStageiswhenthevictimfeelsanger,guilt,orshame,
andmayhavenightmaresorflashbacks.ThisstagelastsmuchlongerthantheCrisisStage,and
manytimesvictimsmaygetstuckinthisstagebeforetheycanmoveontotheResolutionStage.
TheResolutionStageiswhenthevictimhasmovedon.Theycanremembertheattackwithout
severepainandhavelearnedtolivewithwhathashappenedtothem(Daugherty60).
Theinjuriestosurvivorsmaynotcomeintoeffectimmediatelyafteranattack.Itmaybe
weeksormonthsafteranattack,butthevictimsofsexualassaultarethreetimesmorelikelyto
havedepressionsixtimesmorelikelytosufferfromPostTraumaticStressDisorderthirteen
timesmorelikelytoabusealcoholtwentysixtimesmorelikelytoabusedrugsandfourtimes
morelikelytocontemplatesuicide(GettheFacts).Alongwiththesedisorders,itisalso
possibleforsurvivorstohaveissueswithselfharmeatingdisorderslikeAnorexia,Bulimia,and
BingeEatingorsleepdisturbancessuchasnightmaresandInsomnia.

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Eventhoughsexualassaultisacommonoccurrence,itispossibletoreducetheriskof
sexualassaultbybeingcautious.Thismeansbeingawareofyoursurroundings,avoiding
isolatedareas,andmakingsureyourcellphoneisalwayswithyou(Statistics).Thepresence
ofabystanderalsomakesrapefortyfourpercentlesslikely.Ifanyonehappenstobea
bystander,theyshouldofferassistance,onlyafterevaluatingtherisk,andnotleavethepotential
victimalone.
Sexualassaultisalsotheleastlikelyofallviolentcrimestobereported,withanaverage
ofthirtyninepercentreportedeachyear.In1994,only1.2percentofallreleasedStatePrisoners
wereconvictedrapists.Ofthose,fortysixpercentwerethenrearrestedwithinthreeyearsfora
felonyorseriousmisdemeanor.Almost2.5percentofthosewererearrestedforanotherrape.
(GettheFacts).Alongwiththis,onlythreepercentofallrapistswillendupservingtimein
prison.Thisisduetothefactthat,ofonehundredrapes,aroundsixtygounreported.Oftheforty
reported,onlytenofthosewillleadtoanarrest,witheightofthosebeingprosecuted.From
there,fourofthosewillleadtoafelonyconviction,andonlythreewilleverleadtojailtime.The
otherninetysevenrapistswalkfree.Thisnumbercouldbedrasticallyreducedifmorerapes
werereported(Statistics).
AsRapeCultureintodayssocietyisbeingpointedout,manypeoplearestartingto
realizetheproblemsaroundthem.Thisisespeciallytruewhenitcomestosexualassaultson
collegecampuses.Amajorproblemwithcampussexualassaultsisthatschoolshavenotalways
reportedattacks(Palmer).AndreaPinoisthecofounderofEndRapeonCampus,asurvivor
advocacyorganizationdedicatedtoendingsexualviolenceincollegesanduniversities.She
recentlystatedthatToomanyinstitutionsneveradjudicatecomplaintsofsexuaulviolenceand

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donotoffersurvivorsappropriatecounselingandsupport.RapeCultureissystemic,andwhen
institutionsrefusetoinvestigatereports,theysupportrapistsanddetersurvivorsfromcoming
forward(Maxwell).Areportthissummer,sponsoredbySenatorClaireMcCaskillofMissouri,
showedthatfortyonepercentofcollegeshavenotinvestigatedasexualassaultcaseinfive
years.TheDepartmentofEducationdisclosedthatoverfiftyschoolswerebeinginvestigatedfor
mishandlingcasesofsexualassault(Gray).
Becauseofthiscampuscultureofsexualviolence,SenatorClaireMcCaskillhasrecently
introducedtheCampusSafetyandAccountabilityAct(Hartmans).Thisactwillgenerate
incentivesforcollegestoprotectstudentsinabetterwayandpunishthosenotatthatlevel.The
actrequiresallcampusemployeeswhomaycomeintocontactwiththevictimsofsexualassault
tobetrainedtoknowwhattodo.Theactalsomandatesthatcollegescreateaprocessfordealing
withthedisciplinaryproceedingsinvolvedinsexualassaultcases,andthatathleticdepartments
arenotallowedtomanagecomplaintsofsexualviolence.Collegesthatdonotfollowthese
guidelinescanbefineduptoonepercentoftheiroperatingbudget(Palmer).Manyothercolleges
areworkingtofixtheissueofsexualassaultoncampus.Forexample,multipleuniversitiesin
Californiaarenowrequiringstudentstogetaffirmativeconsentforallsexualactivity,and
DartmouthUniversityhasrecentlymadeexpulsionmandatoryforcertaintypesofsexualassault
(Gray).
AfterJadasphotowaspostedwiththecaptionof#JadaPose,Jadadecidedtofacethe
internetbypostingapictureofherselfwiththehashtag#IAmJada.Manysupportersjoinedinon
theinternetandretweetedphotosofthemselveswith#IAmJada,#JadaCounterPose,or
#JusticeForJada.AfterJadaspost,shetoldatelevisionstationinHoustonthatTheresnopoint

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inhiding.Everybodyhasalreadyseenmyfaceandmybody,butthatsnotwhatIamandwhoI
am(Maxwell).Manypeopletodaydonotliketotalkaboutsexualassault.However,sexual
assaulthappensquitefrequently,andtheissueneedstobeaddressed.Peopleneedtocome
togethertocreatepreventionmethodsandtochangethemindsetsofmanymenandwomen,
especiallywhenitcomestothoughtsaboutsexualassaultandRapeCulture.Oursocietyneeds
tolearnthatanytypeofsexualviolenceisnotacceptable.

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WorksCited

Daugherty,LynnB.WhyMe?:HelpforVictimsofChildSexualAbuse,EvenIfTheyAre
AdultsNow.Racine,WI:MotherCourage,1984.Print.
GettheFacts.Rccmsc.org.RapeCrisisCenter,2014.Web.1Nov.2014.
Gray,Eliza.CampusCrackdown.Time.Time,Inc.,3Nov.2014.Web.4Nov.2014.
Hartmans,Avery.WhyCollegeWomenMustReportRapes.USAToday.USAToday,
29Aug.2014.Web.1Nov.2014.
Maxwell,Zerlina.WhatYouNeedtoKnowAboutRapeCulture.Essence.Time,Inc.,1
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Palmer,Morgan.TacklingSexualViolence:AyotteLaudsUNHforBeingatthe
Forefront.FostersDailyDemocrat(Dover,NH).FostersDailyDemocrat(Dover,
NH),28Oct.2014.Web.1Nov.2014.
Ricker,NokNoi.YouAreNotAlone:UMainePresidentamongParticipantsat
DomesticViolencePreventionWalk.BangorDailyNews(ME).BangorDaily
News(ME),30Oct.2014.Web.1Nov.2014.

SexualAssaultStatistics.OneInFourUSA.org.OneinFour,Inc.,2014.Web.1Nov.2014.
Statistics.Rainn.org.Rape,Abuse,&IncestNationalNetwork,2009.Web.1Nov.2014.
Wilson,Brooke.FreshmenEncounterNewDatingObstaclesinCollege.St.Joseph
NewsPress(MO).St.JosephNewsPress(MO),31Aug.2014.Web.1Nov.
2014.