The violent crime of sexual assault occurs too often in communities across the nation. Most sexual assaults involve individuals under the age of 30 and are committed by someone the victim knows.
In Texas, one in five women, and one in 20 men, will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Our county law enforcement offices reported 134 rapes in 2006. While these may be alarming statistics, they are actually conservative estimates considering that the majority of sexual assault victims do not report the crime. Less than fifteen percent of sexual assaults are reported.
Sexual assault has and can occur:
Within intimate/dating relationships
Within marriage
Between acquaintances
Between strangers
As a drug/alcohol facilitated assault
What is a primary reason for lack of reporting? Sexual assault is the only crime where the victim, and not the perpetrator, is blamed.
Individuals have a propensity to make judgments about a sexual assault victim based upon myths that include:
What they may have been wearing,
What they may have said or didn’t say,
What may have been implied through their body language,
What may have occurred sexually prior to the assault,
And any number of other totally irrelevant factors.
When others believe these myths, the sexual assault survivor may feel re-victimized which may further compound their feelings of shame and guilt. Sexual assault survivors are three times more likely to experience depression and six times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. With an increase risk of sexual assault for college-aged individuals, there is also increased vulnerability of poor academic performance or even complete withdrawal from school for students victimized by sexual assault.
One of the most enduring myths about sexual assault advances the idea that an incident of assault is about love, sex, or sexual gratification. Well, it’s not! In fact, the majority of those who commit sexual assaults maintain a current heterosexual relationship with a willing sexual partner. Sexual assault is about obtaining power and control over another individual. It is about using physical force, threats, intimidation tactics or coercion to dominate someone else. Sex is merely the means used to commit an extremely traumatic and violent crime.
To break the silence surrounding sexual assault on our campus and in our community, Collin College and The Turning Point Rape Crisis Center will host the 5th annual Candlelight Vigil Thursday, April 24. The vigil coincides with Sexual Assault Awareness Month and serves to inspire and compel individuals to act against sexual violence, instead of sitting silently by while it continues.
The vigil begins at 6:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Spring Creek Campus, and is being emceed by Macie Jepson from Channel 8 News.
As co-hosts, staff from The Turning Point will be onsite with educational materials and counsel. The Turning Point serves all of Collin County and offers a variety of free services to those affected by sexual assault.
Services include a 24-hour hotline, individual or group counseling, legal advocacy, and hospital accompaniment.
The Turning Point 24-hour hotline 972.985.0951
Hope’s Door Shelter and counseling center 972.422.7233
For additional info on sexual assault, stalking, and or relationship violence, visit www.ccccd.edu/zero.
