Opinion

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Julie Wooden and Julie Harders
April 15, 2001

April is designated National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Sexual assaults are crimes of violence where sex is used as the weapon.

Victims of sexual assault are forced, coerced and/or manipulated to participate in unwanted sexual activity.

Acquaintance or date rape is much more common than stranger rape; 85 percent of victims know their attacker.

Victims do not cause their assaults and are not to blame.

Both women and men are victims of sexual assault.

Sexual assault is a crime that is happening at an alarming rate.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, an American woman is raped every two minutes, one in three women will be raped in their lifetime, one out of every four college women has been the victim of rape or attempted rape and one in 10 men will be raped in their lifetime.

In Iowa alone there were over 2,000 sex offenses reported to law enforcement in 1999.

Sexual assaults do happen at Iowa State.

Alcohol plays a large factor in many acquaintance rapes, and Iowa State is no exception.

During the 2001 Sexual Assault Awareness Month, there will be many activities focusing on sexual assault education, prevention and awareness.

Wednesday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m., the annual Take Back the Night Rally and March will be held on the Terrace of the Memorial Union. Lt. Governor Sally Pederson is the keynote speaker.

Tuesday, April 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Story County Clothesline Project will be displayed on central campus in front of the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center.

Sexual assault is a devastating crime that affects everyone whether you or someone you know is a survivor.

Help is available.

The services of ACCESS are free and confidential; please call the crisis line at 232-2303.

Story County Sexual Assault Response Team also provides a 24-hour response to sexual assault.

Our success in eliminating sexual violence in Iowa depends on you.

One voice can make a difference.

Please join us!

Julie Wooden

Alumna

Sexual assault services coordinator

ACCESS

Julie Harders