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PREVENTING DATE RAPE
As a woman you can...
- Be clear with the men in your life about what, if any sexual behavior, you are comfortable with.
- Don't use alcohol or other drugs; they decrease your ability to take care of yourself and make sensible decisions.
- Trust your gut feelings. If a place or the way your date acts makes you nervous or uneasy, get out.
- Check out a first date or a blind date with friends. Meet in and go to public places. Carry money for a phone call or taxi, or take your own car.
- Don't leave a social event with someone you've just met or don't know well.
- Do not accept beverages from someone you don't know and trust. Always watch your drink and never leave it unattended. Someone could slip GHB or Rohypnol into your drink, sexually assault you, and you won't remember what happened.
As a man you can...
- Accept a woman's decision when she says "no." Don't see it as a challenge.
- Ask yourself how sexual stereotypes affect your attitudes and actions toward women.
- Avoid clouding your judgment and understanding of what another person wants by using alcohol and other drugs.
- Realize that forcing a woman to have sex against her will is rape, a violent crime with serious consequences.
- Never be drawn into gang rape.
- Seek counseling or a support group to help you deal with feelings of violence and aggression toward women.
IF DATE RAPE HAPPENS...
- Get help immediately. Phone the police, a friend, crisis center, or a relative. Don't isolate yourself, don't feel guilty or ashame, and don't try to ignore it. It is a crime and should be reported.
- Get medical attention as soon as possible. Do not shower, wash, douche, or change your clothes. Valuable evidence could be destroyed.
- Get counseling to help you with the emotional trauma. This will make recovery easier and quicker.
- If you think you've been assaulted while under the influence of Rohypnol or GHB, seek help immediately. Try not to urinate before providing urine samples, and, if possible, collect any glasses from which you drank.
Remember- Rapists aren't always strangers. When someone you know--a date, steady boyfriend or casual friend--forces you to have sex, it's still rape.
These crime prevention tips and others can be found at the National Crime Prevention Council Website. For additional information, contact the University Police Crime Prevention Office at 410-543-6222.
Chief Edwin L. Lashley
University Police
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