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Butler County Rape Crisis Program
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110 S. College Avenue, Oxford, OH 45056
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Many people are unaware that the majority of sexual
assaults are committed by someone the victim knows.
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Contents:
1. Protecting Yourself From Date & Acquaintance Rape
2. Rape Prevention Guidelines for Men and Women
(Developed by Planned Parenthood Association of Southwestern Ohio and Northern Kentucky)
3. Protecting Yourself From Date Rape Drugs
1. PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM DATE & ACQUAINTANCE RAPE
It would be wonderful if we could trust everyone we met, right from the start. Unfortunately, according to the National Victim Center, approximately 80 percent of rapes involve people the victim knows. The following tips may help you or someone you care to protect yourselves from sexual assault:
-Plan where you’re going and how you’re getting home. Let friends or family know the plan: Where you will be and at what times.
-If it is a “blind date”, try to double with another couple.
-If you are at a party, be cautious about accepting a ride or escort home from a person you have just met or do not know well, no matter how charming that person might be. If a person insists or pressures you to accept a ride, become suspicious.
-Abstain from alcohol and/or drugs. Remain aware and in control.
-Avoid letting someone take you to remote, dark, or secluded places, including your date’s home or apartment. Enjoy the evening by going to well-lighted places where there are other people around.
-In a dating situation, define exactly what you want from the relationship. When what you want changes, say so. You have the right to change your mind.
-Be assertive. Set clear limits regarding what you consider to be acceptable behavior. Be confident, believe and act as if you come first. You do.
-Always strive to say what you really mean. Say “NO!” when you mean no and “yes” when you mean yes. Demand that your feelings and expressions are respected.
-Maintain control over your personal life: develop a plan of action, strategy for self-defense, and methods of escape—just in case.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS AND FEELINGS. If you feel you’re being pressured into unwanted sex, you’re probably right. If you feel threatened, take action—before the potential attacker does.
2. GUIDELINES FOR RAPE PREVENTION
(developed by Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Ohio and Northern Kentucky)
FOR WOMEN
PLAN - Have a way to get home without relying on your date. If it's the first date, or you don't feel completely comfortable with him, meet him at a designated public place. Don't be forced into accepting a ride home with a person you are unsure of. Find out as much as you can about your date before you are alone with him. Decide on what level of sexual activity you feel comfortable with before you go out on the date.
IDENTIFY - Identify your feelings and act on them. If you don't feel comfortable with a person in a particular situation, don't be afraid to abandon the situation. Eliminate alcohol and/or drug usage. Drugs and alcohol impair judgment and your gut feelings.
COMMUNICATE - Discuss your sexual boundaries with your date before you get into an intimate encounter. Be assertive when communicating with your date. If he isn't listening to your subtle messages, be more direct, use your body language and your verbal skills to clearly communicate.
FOR MEN
PERCEIVE - Become aware of the cultural messages you have received concerning men and women. Recognize that men are under considerable pressure to be sexually active. Reflect on your own attitudes; would you press for sex because it is expected of you by your peers, your date, or internal pressures to be "a man?" Look at your own past behaviors concerning the treatment of women. Realize that rape is a crime and an act of violence.
ACCEPT - Accept that "No" means no even if you have spent a lot of money on your date, she "comes on" to you, even if you have had sex with her before. Acknowledge that there are many ways to express sexuality. Touching, holding, and petting does not necessarily mean your date wants sexual intercourse. Understand that you are responsible for your own sexual behavior.
COMMUNICATE - Give your date feedback on how you feel and what you want as the date progresses. Listen to her and pay attention to her nonverbal actions. If you are confused about what she means, ask for clarification.
3. PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM DRUG-FACILITATED RAPE
Please see our page related to so-called
"Date Rape Drugs".
4. Perspectives on Acquaintance Rape
URL:
http://www.aaets.org/arts/art13.htm
American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress Acquaintance Rape Pages. What
is acquaintance rape? Legal perspectives, social perspectives, research,
prevalence, myths & realities, effects, offenders, prevention, treatment.
To view other categories of prevention education links, please click on your browser's "Back" button or click on the "Up" button to the left under Home.
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