We’re all excited for college next year but with the responsibility of living on our own comes the responsibility of keeping ourselves safe. According to Kathleen Hirsch’s 1990 study, 1 in 4 women will be victims of sexual assault, and these are only the incidents that are reported. Recent studies have shown that this statistic has dropped to 1 in 5, but that’s still incredibly high.

According to the Bureau of Justice in 2001, 80% of sexual assaults are committed by acquaintances. These acquaintances are someone the victim knows like a friend or a date. Often times these kinds of incidents are not reported because the victim knows their assailant. They may be scared; of losing a friendship, making the person even angrier, fear of retaliation, harassment from family or friends of the assailant, or embarrassment. According to the same study, 21% of the college women who experienced sexual aggression on a date were intoxicated at the time of the assault, and an additional 32% reported being mildly buzzed, whereas 55% of male assailants reported being intoxicated. 70% of all sexual assaults are not reported by the victims according to a study by the Bureau of Justice.

So many assaults go unreported because of the social norms surrounding friendships. According to  the Bureau of Justice, 70% of all sexual assaults are not reported by the victims.  Many of the victims believe that they had to be kind and polite so as not to offend their assailant. They suppress their feelings of discomfort and fear and rely on the fact that it is their friend. In order to prevent such an encounter, it is necessary to recognize the three stages of aggression: Intrusion, desensitization, and isolation. Once the offender has entered the victim’s personal space, they may lower the victim’s guard by revealing personal details or by using “accidental” touches or stares that eventually seem less threatening. Once the victim feels comfortable and is in a state of relaxation, the assailant will either emotionally or physically isolate the victim from others. After the assailant has secured the victim, it is easy for them to commit an act because the victim is in such a state that they are either too uncomfortable to say no, or unable to fight back.

In a poll of high school students, Jacqueline Goodchilds asked “Is it alright if a male holds down a female and forces her to have sex if…” These results are shown to the side.

After seeing these statistics, SHS seniors were asked to comment on them. Alex Gunn said, “I’m not ok with it, but I know it happens. Not a lot of people have gotten super drunk before college and they don’t know how to handle themselves there and it leaves them defenseless against the guys who are willing to to rape them.”

Another senior, Andrew Linker said, “There is no excuse for raping a female. But a lot of it does have to do with drinking. Girls are vulnerable at that point and boys think that it’s ok to take advantage of them.”

From a girl’s perspective, Audrey Hoffman said, “Rape is my ultimate fear, I’m incredibly disturbed by the females’ responses…how could they make it OK for it to happen to them?” One female student said, “I mean it’s not really OK in these circumstances, but if the two people have had sex together before, then yes, it’s OK.”

Many college campuses today provide safety on campus to try to prevent sexual assault as well as programs for victims. A common stop on college tours is the Blue Light System. Once pressed, the Blue Light illuminates and sends a signal to campus police. If the victim is running from someone, each Blue Light is within viewing distance of another so that when the police do arrive they can see the path taken.

Groups like Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER), a New York-based organization, help concerned students organize to change policy at their campuses. These groups focus on helping victims as well as working with the administration to create a safer environment.

Senior Emily Richard said, “Knowing that [1 in 4 women get raped] you just have to know your limits when drinking, and be aware. Always have a friend or backup who can support you and make sure you’re all safe.” But she did say, “I wouldn’t tell someone if it happened when I was drunk, though…that’d just be embarrassing for me.”

As the SHS class members of 2013 embark on the next step of their life in college, this subject hits close to home. “It’s troubling,” said senior Jeff Murray.

Shaia Palmer, who is headed to UMASS Amherst next year said, “I know UMASS has the highest number of rapes, but that’s just the ones reported. I can only image what else goes on.”

The key to preventing and reducing the number of sexual assaults at college all depends on the students. Stay aware, know the facts, and always have a friend with you. Raise awareness and help efforts to prevent sexual assault as well as aid the victims of it. As senior Trevor Horgan said, “[Sexual assault] shouldn’t be that high. It should be zero.”