Students should not feel unsafe at school. Women should not be afraid that they will be raped at a party or walking home at night. Unfortunately, university campuses are dangerous for students.
A recent report found that 1 in 4 college women reported unwanted sexual contact. Unwanted sexual contact can mean anything from groping to penetration. The Association of American Universities survey was sent to 780,000 students and about 150,000 participated in the online version. Alcohol and drugs are risk factors when it comes to sexual assault on college campuses.
Many schools have recently dealt with high profile sexual assault issues. Experts say that these assaults come out of a “highly sexual culture.” When schools, fraternities, and sororities accept and encourage alcohol and drug use along with sexually compromising situations, problems happen.
We, as parents, need to take a stand against this at home. Boys should be taught that inappropriate sexual conduct is NEVER OK. It is not OK to touch a girl if she says no. It is not OK to take advantage of a girl is she is drunk or passed out. It isn’t just girls, 5 percent of males say they have been the victim of sexual assault on their college campus.
Parents, it starts with us .We need to encourage our children to respect one another. We need to teach our boys to be leaders, not bystanders. Girls need to know it is OK to say no.
You can check out Not Alone for more information on sexual assault.
