CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the Issues
2. Understanding Alcohol Abuse
3. Understanding Violence Against Women
4. Alcohol and Domestic Violence
5. Alcohol, Sexual Assault, and Rape
6. Prevention and Early Intervention
7. Screening and Assessment
8. Diagnosis and Treatment
9. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Fact Sheets
Videos
Resources

Silence Hurts
Alcohol Abuse and Violence Against Women

Strategies for Prevention

What Professionals Can Teach Young Women

Even the best self-defense course cannot guarantee a woman's safety. There are many things, however, that a woman can do to decrease her risk of sexual assault. The most important thing is to not allow alcohol or other drugs to reduce her ability to take care of herself and make sensible decisions.³⁸

A therapist or counselor can try to impress the following guidelines on a young woman.

• She must trust her feelings. If she feels in danger, she probably is.
• She should always be aware of her surroundings, know her route, and stay in well-lit areas as much as possible. This includes parking her car in well-lit areas.
• After entering her car, she should drive away immediately. She should not sit in the car and look at what she just bought or count her money.
• If she finds herself in danger, blow a whistle or yell "FIRE" instead of "HELP" or "RAPE."³⁹ People may be reluctant to intervene in an assault but will respond to a more general emergency.
• She should not leave a party, concert, game, or other social occasion with someone she just met or does not know very well.
• She should always travel in a group. Use a shuttle service after dark. Never walk alone at night and avoid shortcuts.⁴⁰
• She should check out a first date or a blind date with friends and insist on going to a public place such as a movie, sporting event, or restaurant. She should carry money for a telephone call and taxi, or take her own car.⁴¹
• She can try to remember safety steps by thinking "P.R.E.V.E.N.T.":
  • Put change in her wallet for an emergency or a ride home
  • Recognize the early signs of a potential assault
  • Examine her surroundings carefully
  • Verbalize her resistance loudly
  • Exhibit confidence in potentially threatening situations
  • Never assume sexual assault can not happen to her
  • Travel in groups whenever possible⁴²
• Decide on the level of intimacy she wants in a relationship, and clearly state her limits.⁴³
• Freshmen should not allow a photo and personal information to be published for distribution to the campus community. Fraternities and upperclassmen have abused this type of publication to target naive freshmen.⁴⁴

If someone tries to force her to have sex:

• She should stay calm and ask herself, "How serious about sex is this guy?" "What options do I have?"
• She should think, "Is it safe to resist? Is he armed?" If not, it is better to scream and claw and kick than to beg, cry, or plead. This is because rape is more about power and control than about sex.
• She should say "NO" with force and certainty. She should not smile as if she is trying to protect his feelings. Her safety and well-being are at stake here.
• She should use the word rape. Often, upon hearing the word, the attacker will realize what he is doing, and then stop and flee.
• She needs to assess the situation. Can she escape? Are there people around to help her?
• She needs to find an escape route. If possible, she should try to distract him so she can get away, first making sure he is not armed.
• She should not shout "HELP." Most people will not respond because they do not want to get involved in someone else's business. She should shout "FIRE, which will affect people around you as well.
• She should lie if she has to. She could tell him she has herpes, HIV, or venereal disease or anything else that he might catch. It may deter him from following through.
• Say "If you don't stop, I will consider this rape."