Warm hugs and kisses are exchanged between parents and students, lengthy lines are developing behind the cash registers at campus bookstores and new students are roaming around campus with their class schedule hoping to find their classes with ease. With students heading to colleges and universities, some for the first time, many feel the need to explore their surroundings, meet friends and attend social events. As a result, some students may find themselves in difficult situations while in a new environment.
The “Red Zone” is a six to eight week period where sexual assault reaches a peak amongst college students. The assaults are linked to high alcohol consumption and risky environments. Experts say first-year students report more unwanted sexual experiences than older students.
“We have new students coming to campus that haven’t been college students before and they are in a new environment and facing new experiences,” said Aimee Janssen-Robinson, who is apart of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Coalition at Indiana State University (ISU).
“Part of our education occurs through our website, so there is quite a bit of information for students there. Our resident assistants are educated about sexual violence prior to students arriving to campus,” she said.
During the first two days of school, students are invited to participate in training and education programs. Each year, a committee of students organizes the “No One Left Behind” rally that is held in April and encourages bystander intervention in acts of sexual assault. In the past, the event has featured keynote speakers and panel discussions.
Janssen-Robinson said there are direct and indirect ways a student can intervene in a situation based on their level of comfort.
“They can pull in the friend of the people involved in the situation. Maybe they can confront them. Depending on the level of the situation, maybe calling the police would be the best idea,” she said.
Janssen-Robinson adds if a student has been involved in a sexual assault case they should seek a safe place and reach out depending on their level of comfort. The university police, counseling center and faculty and staff are all options. Janssen-Robinson also gives out her cell phone number to students.
According to the Bureau of Justice Special Report, one in four college women are a victim of rape or attempted rape at least once during her four years of college, 90 percent of sexual assault cases involve alcohol consumption and 78 percent of victims know their attackers. Men aren’t always the perpetrators of sexual assault. A recent study done by the National Crime Victimization Survey discovered that when asking 40,000 households about rape and sexual violence, 38 percent of the victims were male.
The state of Indiana defines rape “as when a person who knowingly or intentionally has sexual intercourse with a member of the opposite sex when: the other person is compelled by force or imminent threat of force; the other person is unaware that the sexual intercourse is occurring; or the other person is so mentally disabled or deficient that consent to sexual intercourse cannot be given.”
Like many other colleges, authorities are aware of the “Red Zone” and provide students with education, prevention and guidance if needed. ISU campus police hosts a program called Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) to enhance the options of self-defense. As a free 12-hour class for females only, the class emphasizes prevention, awareness, risk reduction and avoidance while teaching hands-on defense training.
“R.A.D. is a structured hands-on training that teaches repetition of skills that empower the female in everyday living. This program builds confidence and changes the life of many students,” said Sgt. Jacquelyn Smith, who has been a class instructor since 2003.
“The class ranges from 10 to 20 students, staff and faculty. The classes are also taken by female athletic teams as well as sorority members. We also reach out to the community by teaching women’s groups, churches and cancer survivors,” she said.
About six classes are offered each school year and the campus is notified by a mass email about upcoming sessions and how to register through the police website.
