Through the ZERO Tolerance of Violence grant project, Collin College strives to create a campus environment that promotes student safety and awareness of violence against women, as well as campus support to survivors of relationship violence. 

In an effort to end sexual assault, stalking and intimate partner violence, Project ZERO provides education about how to recognize/respond to domestic violence and about available resources. 

Do you know about the risks of sexual activity while under the influence of alcohol?

United States law requires that a person be age 21 before they can legally purchase and drink alcohol. However, even legal drinking can pose risk -- alcohol affects both cognitive and physical abilities and may put an individual in potentially vulnerable situations.

While we are aware of how dangerous it is to combine drinking with driving, it is also risky to engage in sexual activities while drinking. Aside from the emotional and physical risk of engaging in sexual activities while drinking, there are legal risks as well.  Under Texas law, a person cannot legally consent to have sex if they are under the influence of alcohol. “Under the influence” means that if a person’s blood alcohol level is over the 0.08 legal limit, their judgment is impaired to the point where they cannot consent to sexual activity. 

To consent means to rationally weigh the pros and cons of a sexual situation (pregnancy, STD’s, emotions, etc.) and to make an informed choice about engaging in these activities.

The law’s purpose is to protect people from exploitation while in a susceptible condition. Engaging in sexual activity with an inebriated individual may constitute sexual assault, and the legal ramifications may be quite serious. An individual convicted of sexual assault may be denied housing or employment opportunities, may receive a lengthy prison sentence, and may have to register on the national sex offender database. Such consequences may follow a person for the rest of his or her life.

If an individual feels they may have been sexually assaulted while under the influence, the person should consider seeking medical attention to make sure there are no serious injuries and to test for pregnancy or STD’s. In addition, if the person was under 21 when the alcohol was consumed, they can still report the assault to the police. The police will only investigate the crime being reported, the sexual assault and not the underage drinking.

On campus, support is available through Collin College’s Counseling Services at 972.881.5126 and in the community through The Turning Point. The Turning Point has a 24-hour hotline at 800.886.7273. Finally, if you would like to find out more information about sexual assault, stalking, and intimate partner violence, visit the Project Zero website at www.ccccd.edu/zero .