Date rape occurs with startling frequency on college campuses and has become a merited subject of national concern in modern society. This form of sexual assault can often be perpetrated by the rape-tolerant attitudes held by college males. 

According to the Collins Dictionary, “date rape is a sexual assault in which the victim knows or has met the suspect at a social gathering and the victim is not able to resist sexual advances due to intoxication, drugs or lack of consciousness.”

By no means is date rape a new issue. According to statistics provided by the Health Research Funding organization, “25% of college women report that they survived rape or an attempted rape at some point in their lifetime.”  Even more shockingly, every 21 hours, another woman is raped on a college campus. With these numbers increasing daily, it is significant for students and especially young women on college campuses to know their options and become more aware and cautious. 

“I’ve noticed that our school has several ‘push for help’ stations scattered across the campus,” said sophomore psychology major Morrissa Gilbert. “I’m actually not sure how effective those would be in the scenario of an active sexual assault. By the time anyone was to come to the station to help, it would likely be too late.”  

In order to make college campuses like Alabama State University safer, a greater awareness of the facts about date rape needs to reach the masses. Researching where and how sexual assault incidents often occur on or near campus can be beneficial. This way, the university, as well as the student, can take appropriate safety measures or avoid those areas altogether. 

“A tip that I have learned is to never go anywhere alone after dark,” said freshman criminal justice major Samirah Childs. “My friends and I have developed a buddy system. We soon learned that walking alone at night, especially while on your phone not paying attention like I used to do, raises the risk for unsafe behavior — whether it be getting mugged, assaulted, injured, or even put in an uncomfortable situation like cat-calling.”

It is important to do your research and implement safety precautions. New students just moving into the residence halls should become familiar with the area. Find the police department and the emergency phones around campus. Ask fellow students which parts of town are dangerous and research the criminal activity in the neighborhoods surrounding the school. 

It is also noteworthy to mention that those who are committing these horrible crimes need to understand that they cannot just get away with the heinous act without consequences. Oftentimes,  young women do not even feel comfortable or motivated enough to report such crimes because of the fear of not being believed or being ridiculed. This is common when the person who commits the assault is a well-respected or known figure on campus, such as an athlete or even a faculty member. 

“I know someone who got assaulted, but she never reported it because one of her friends essentially blamed her for feeling comfortable enough to leave an event with him. Once a victim doesn’t feel that support from their immediate circle, there is no way they are taking that information public, and as a result, justice is never served,” said junior secondary education major Gianna Harris. 

A good way to start making victims feel comfortable enough to speak out is by normalizing discussions about sexual assault and the repressive effects that it can have on the victims’ livelihood. Decreasing the stigmatization around the victims of sexual assault is necessary. Stigma can compound the pain of sexual assault, as a fear of stigma can deter victims from seeking help or reaching out to others. Myths about sexual assault hurt survivors. They can promote a social climate that makes sexual assault seem acceptable and defensible.

Sexual violence is never funny. It is never part of the normal college experience. In addition to the “push for help” stations on campus, Alabama State University hosts several sexual violence prevention seminars throughout the year. The ASU Police Department has protocols in place for prevention as well as post-assault. By doing research and informing students about the risks, a safer learning environment can be achieved.