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Contributed by Amanda Bach

What is sexual assault?

Sexual assault and abuse is any type of sexual activity that you do not agree to, including:

• inappropriate touching
• vaginal, anal, or oral penetration
• sexual intercourse that you say no to
• rape
• attempted rape
• child molestation

        Sexual assault can be verbal, visual, or anything that forces a person to join in unwanted sexual contact or attention. Examples of this are voyeurism (when someone watches private sexual acts), exhibitionism (when someone exposes him/herself in public), incest (sexual contact between family members), and sexual harassment. It can happen in different situations, by a stranger in an isolated place, on a date, or in the home by someone you know.

        Rape is a common form of sexual assault. It is committed in many situations — on a date, by a friend or an acquaintance, or when you think you are alone. Educate yourself on “date rape” drugs. They can be slipped into a drink when a victim is not looking. Never leave your drink unattended — no matter where you are. Try to always be aware of your surroundings. Date rape drugs make a person unable to resist assault and can cause memory loss so the victim doesn’t know what happened.

What do I do if I’ve been sexually assaulted?

Take steps right away if you’ve been sexually assaulted.

• Get away from the attacker to a safe place as fast as you can. Then call 911 or the police.
• Call a friend or family member you trust. You also can call a crisis center or a hotline to talk with a counselor. One hotline is the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Feelings of shame, guilt, fear, and shock are normal. It is important to get counseling from a trusted professional.
• Do not wash, comb, or clean any part of your body. Do not change clothes if possible, so the hospital staff can collect evidence. Do not touch or change anything at the scene of the assault.
• Go to your nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible. You need to be examined, treated for any injuries, and screened for possible sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or pregnancy. The doctor will collect evidence using a rape kit for fibers, hairs, saliva, semen, or clothing that the attacker may have left behind.
• You or the hospital staff can call the police from the emergency room to file a report.
• Ask the hospital staff about possible support groups you can attend right away.

Where else can I go for help?

        If you are sexually assaulted, it is not your fault. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or support. Help is available. You can call these organizations:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TDD)
• National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

        There are many organizations and hotlines in every state and territory. These crisis centers and agencies work hard to stop assaults and help victims. You can find contact information for these organizations at www.womenshealth.gov/violence/state.cfm. You also can obtain the numbers of shelters, counseling services, and legal assistance in your phone book.

How can I protect myself from being sexually assaulted?

There are things you can do to reduce your chances of being sexually assaulted. Follow these tips from the National Crime Prevention Council.

• Be aware of your surroundings — who’s out there and what’s going on.
• Walk with confidence. The more confident you look, the stronger you appear.
• Don’t let drugs or alcohol cloud your judgment.
• Be assertive — don’t let anyone violate your space.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in your surroundings, leave.
• Don’t prop open self-locking doors.
• Lock your door and your windows, even if you leave for just a few minutes.
• Watch your keys. Don’t lend them. Don’t leave them. Don’t lose them. And don’t put your name and address on the key ring.
• Watch out for unwanted visitors. Know who’s on the other side of the door before you open it.
• Be wary of isolated spots, like underground garages, offices after business hours, and apartment laundry rooms.
• Avoid walking or jogging alone, especially at night. Vary your route. Stay in well-traveled, well-lit areas.
• Have your key ready to use before you reach the door — home, car, or work.
• Park in well-lit areas and lock the car, even if you’ll only be gone a few minutes.
• Drive on well-traveled streets, with doors and windows locked.
• Never hitchhike or pick up a hitchhiker.
• Keep your car in good shape with plenty of gas in the tank.
• In case of car trouble, call for help on your cellular phone. If you don’t have a phone, put the hood up, lock the doors, and put a banner in the rear mirror that says, “Help. Call police.”

How can I help someone who has been sexually assaulted?

You can help someone who is abused or who has been assaulted by listening and offering comfort. Go with her or him to the police, the hospital, or to counseling. Reinforce the message that she or he is not at fault and that it is natural to feel angry and ashamed.

Sources:

More Information . . .
For more information on sexual assault, contact the National Women’s Health Information Center at 800-994-9662 or the following organizations:

Division of Violence Prevention, NCIPC, CDC, HHS
Phone: (770) 488-4362
Internet Address: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/dvp.htm

Office on Violence Against Women, OJP, DOJ
Phone: (800) 799-7233
Internet Address: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo

National Center for Victims of Crime
Phone: (800) 394-2255
Internet Address: www.ncvc.org

National Crime Prevention Council
Phone: (202) 466-6272
Internet Address: www.ncpc.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline
Phone: (800) 799-SAFE
Internet Address: www.ndvh.org

National Sexual Violence Resource Center
Phone: (877) 739-3895
Internet Address: www.nsvrc.org

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network
Phone: (202) 544-1034
Internet Address: www.rainn.org

Agency working to promote sexual assault awareness

The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault  (TAASA): Members of the TAASA staff are nationally recognized experts in the field and are asked to provide trainings at state, national, and international conferences. www.taasa.org

  Sexual assault, or rape, is a violent crime, not a sexual act. The myth that men who rape women are sexually deprived or pathological has begun to be dispelled and replaced with the understanding that rape is an act of power and control, rather than lust. According to the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, more than 330,000 rapes occur each year in Texas. The occurrence of forcible rape in our country appears to be on the rise. The Senate Judiciary Committee in its Majority Staff Report entitled Violence Against Women: The Increase of Rape in America determined that more women were raped in 1990 than in any other year in American history.

        The rate of rape will continue to increase without appropriate prevention and response. In 1993, the Senate Judiciary Committee concluded that only two percent of rapists are imprisoned. Attitudes about women who are raped and rapists continue to present barriers to justice. Because we doubt the validity of victims' experiences, rape remains the silent crime, reported at least less than 15 percent of the time it occurs.

Did you know ….

• more than 226,000 children and 104,000 adults are raped every year in Texas?

• in a survey of college men, 35 percent anonymously admitted they would commit rape if they knew they could get away with it?

• the United States has the highest rape rate of countries that publish such information?

• one of every five college women reported being forced to have sexual intercourse?
• in one survey, 42 percent of rape victims reported that they had told no one about the assault? Only five percent reported to the police.
• The most common victims of rape are females under 18 years of age.
• In the United States today, 1.8 million teens have already been the victims of serious sexual assault.
• Approximately one-third of all juvenile victims of sexual abuse cases are children younger than six years of age.
• It is estimated that 92,700 males are forcibly raped each year.
• Approximately 683,000 women are forcibly raped each year.
• Thirty-nine percent of girls report being sexually harassed at school on a daily basis.
• Eighty-two percent of women report that they fear rape and/or death more than anything else.

About TAASA:
The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) is a non-profit educational and advocacy organization. As an agency, TAASA works to promote sexual assault awareness throughout the state of Texas. They provide training to rape crisis personnel, law enforcement, other service agencies, community groups, and schools on topical issues related to sexual assault as well as curriculum information for sexual assault trainings. Members of the TAASA staff are nationally recognized experts in the field and are asked to provide trainings at state, national, and international conferences.

The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) is committed to ending sexual violence in Texas through education, prevention, and advocacy. They desire to support survivors on their paths to hope, healing and justice. TAASA is the voice of the sexual assault movement in Texas. They are a unifying force bringing together parties involved in and affected by sexual assault as a catalyst for change.  For more information on TAASA please visit: www.taasa.org

Contributor - Amanda Bach is co-founder and co-creator of SingleMom.com. The co-creator currently resides in California and Washington, DC. She was raised by a single mom and so she learned it first hand how difficult it was to watch her mom struggled everyday life. And that is the main reason she co-founded SingleMom.com to create this wonderful Website/organization. Her energy, natural creative ability and superior business intuition make her contributions to this website immeasurable. As you know, lots of tough decisions are made as a parent, let alone as a single parent. Her hobbies include volunteer, Internet, reading, ballet, traveling, snowboarding, and especially wine & food.
 

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