Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-442-6062

Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-925-2803

Stuffing a pen and notepad in her apron pocket, Jane* makes her way down the aisle of the crowded pizzeria before disappearing through the swinging kitchen door. A moment later she emerges, laughing at a co-worker's joke as he holds the door open for her. She rushes along the same noisy path toward her waiting customers, a pitcher of beer in each hand.

Waiting on customers and joking with co-workers seems to come easy to this waitress, a senior at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN). But there was a time when she wasn't so comfortable. Just three years ago, Jane, a typical College student, became a victim of sexual assault and like many other college students, Jane wasn't randomly assaulted in a back alley or parking garage. She was victimized by someone she knew.

"I went to a house party with a group of friends one night, and we all watched a movie in my Dorm room after we got back," recalls Jane. "I had been drinking and passed out when everyone was still in my room. I knew I had been raped when I found a condom wrapper on the floor the next morning, and my roommate was questioning me about the guy who spent the night."

The terms "date rape" or "acquaintance rape" refer to sexual assault between people who know each other, and it's a chronic problem on college campuses. About one in 36 (2.8 percent) college women experience a rape or attempted rape in an academic year, according to "The Sexual Victimization of College Women," a 2000 study released by the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics. For a campus with 10,000 women, this means that the number of rapes could exceed 350 per year. The study also revealed that in nine out of 10 instances of rape or attempted rape, the victim knows the offender or is someone whom the victim has just met. The perpetrator in Jane's case was a "friend of a friend" visiting for the weekend. She had known him only a few hours. Despite these startling statistics, there are things you can do to avoid a similar situation.

Know the Risks
College is a new and interesting place for freshmen, and there's a natural tendency to get caught up in the excitement, says Laci Weeden, assistant director of the North Carolina State University Women's Center (Raleigh, NC).

"Many students, especially first-year college women, are unaware of the risks that exist on campus," says Weeden. "It's important they understand the dangers that can befall them." Toward this end, many Colleges and Universities have taken a proactive approach to educating their student body about sexual assault.

"Schools are becoming more involved in [date rape education]," explains Catherine Bath, executive director of Security on Campus, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to making campuses safe for college and university students. "Instead of creating a culture of silence, which was the case for a long time, they are now fostering a culture of openness and compassion where dialogue about the risks of sexual assault is encouraged."

In addition, information about date rape must be made public. The Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 requires colleges and universities to provide students and staff with campus crime statistics and security policies. For this and other information, like safety tips and news on rape education events, contact your university's women's center or counseling services, or visit its Web site.

Be Cautious of Those Around You
Being thrown into an unfamiliar environment with others your own age can build camaraderie among college students, but this does not mean you should automatically trust everyone you meet in class or your dorm.

"There's a natural tendency to feel that the people in your geographic sphere are your friends," says Claire Kaplan, director of Sexual and Domestic Violence Services at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA). "There's really no reason to trust someone just because they live near you."

Never spend time alone with someone who makes you feel uneasy or uncomfortable, adds Weeden. Always trust your instincts and leave situations you don't feel good about. Never rely on someone else to look out for you.

Watch Your Alcohol Intake
"The biggest issue, although it's not the direct cause of date rape, is alcohol," says Kaplan. "It restricts judgment and lowers the inhibition of both perpetrators and victims."

Your judgment can be even more restricted when drugs like Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) and Rohypnol (commonly called roofies) are added to your drink. These drugs cause a person to feel dizzy and disoriented before passing out, and according to the National Women's Health Center, victims will usually have no memory of what happened while under the drug's influence.

Jane believes she was under the influence of a date rape drug because she had no recollection of the rape. "I felt really groggy all of a sudden, and the next morning I had the hugest headache," says Jane. "I was out cold and don't remember anything. That doesn't happen when you've only had two beers."

Due to the risk of consuming a beverage containing date rape drugs, always remember to keep your drink with you at all times when at a bar or party, and don't accept drinks from people you don't know, says Weeden.

Keep a Friend Connection
It's important to take care of yourself, but it's also important to watch out for your friends. "Regardless of what anyone does, no one is rape-proof," says Kaplan. "But, [people] can lower their risk by looking out for one another."

In her four years of college, Jane learned the importance of this advice. "You should always be aware of everyone you're around. You always hear the same advice about rapes happening with people you know, and it's absolutely true," she says. "Watch out for yourself and your friends. Always have a designated driver, and always keep your guard up."

Other stay-safe tips: Make sure everyone you leave a party with gets home safely; keep in touch with your friends throughout the night; and avoid going out alone. If you're on a date with someone you don't know very well, make sure you choose a public spot and think about doubling with another couple, says Weeden.

Make Your Feelings Known
Unfortunately, the most common strategy of an acquaintance rapist is to ignore the victim's request to stop, says Kaplan.

If you feel a situation is getting out of hand, let him know you're uncomfortable. Remember, you always have the right to say no to anyone at anytime, and you have the right to change your mind, says Bath. It is never, under any circumstance, OK for someone to force you into having sex.

"People don't always understand the ramifications of rape because there are a lot of gray areas," says Bath. "A lot of victims who are new to college think it's their fault because they drank too much or acted flirtatious. Young men aren't always cognitive to the fact that no means no."

With thousands of cases reported annually, date rape is an epidemic problem, says Bath. If you find yourself a victim of date rape or another form of sexual assault, there is hope.

"I was torn up emotionally after it happened," says Jane, sitting down in one of the empty booths at work. "It took me a while to trust guys, and I guess I'm a lot more cautious now, but I'm lucky I wasn't hurt physically and I don't remember it."

Like many in her situation, Jane didn't go to the police with her story of rape. According to "The Sexual Victimization of College Women," fewer than five percent of rapes and attempted rapes are reported. Victims in the study gave a number of reasons for not reporting their victimizations, including not wanting others to know about the incident, lack of proof that the incident occurred, fear of retaliation by the assailant, and fear of hostility from the police.

Jane felt there wasn't enough evidence to prove what had happened to her. "I wasn't exactly sure what happened at first. It felt weird because I didn't have any memory of it, so I didn't know what to say," she says. "I didn't think there was anything [the authorities] could do. If it was a different situation, if I was conscious or there was evidence, I may have handled things differently."

She looks at her watch as the last customers at the other end of the pizzeria get up to leave. She's anxious to get home. Her boyfriend of more than a year is coming to pick her up. "It took me a while, but I've come to terms with it," she says. "It happened. There's nothing to be ashamed of. I've moved on."

Remember to inquire about  

campus safety

  when researching colleges. Ask if the campus has a public safety department. If you feel a school does not have adequate public safety, this is a major factor to consider when choosing a school. If you are in school already, you should be familiar with campus safety's contact numbers and location. Remember--don't feel stupid calling public safety for a ride home from a late night study session, or for a ride across campus to your friend's dorm.

* Name changed to protect identity

Sound Off! Post Your Comments