Sexual Assault Prevention—A Man’s Job
Introduction—Stats
 About 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted in their college years
 One study  35% of college males said they would rape if assured they could get away with it
 Most involve alcohol: 75% perps and 50% victims.
 Rapists in prison often get raped—what do you think about that? (justice?)
 About 1 in 8-10 males
Impact
 How many know someone who was raped? How many in this group do you think probably know
someone who has been raped, but have never been told based on these numbers?
 Imagine: wake up one morning as a woman, raped, how would you feel?
 How do you think you would feel if your girlfriend, sister or mother was raped?
 You were raped in a situation where resistance was not possible (5 Shaquil Oneals)—Do you think the
impact would be more or less severe than a woman being raped by a man—how do you know?
 Women’s lives are changed—also effects husbands and brothers and sons and daughters and boyfriends
and best friends and roommates and children… Think of not just as faceless girls: these are your moms,
sisters, friends, girlfriends, wives— and someday your daughters.
 Can be charged with rape if no informed consent (legally a drunk person cannot give)—that means a yes,
not just lack of a no.
How Possible
 We have been struggling with this issue forever. Legal references to rape date as far back as 4000 years
ago, where it was a crime to rape a virgin = embezzlement of daughter’s fair asking price—stealing from
the father; rapist had to pay and marry. Today we hear about it all the time—prevention programs,
education, this presentation, etc. What’s the problem—so deeply engrained—so resistant to change—
that we still have to talk about it?
 Socialization—what do men and women learn about sexual attitudes that make rape possible? Most
extreme = Sexually active men are studs; women are sluts. What if it were the other way around, and
men were cast as “promiscuous” and “sluts” when they had sex?
 …Or any other man that was bigger and stronger and more aggressive than you could pick a fight at any
sports event or bar, beat you up—severe injuries and broken bones— and then claim you wanted to
fight because of the way that you were dressed or how you talked?
Action
 Is it okay that 1 in 4 women will be raped—is a 25% chance okay for your girlfriend? What would you
do to prevent it?
 Most men do not rape, at least 75% are repeaters. Stop the first one!!!
 Lists of do’s and don’ts won’t cut it. It takes courage and character to stop it.
 Ex. What would you do if you saw an acquaintance taking a drunken girl that you were aware that he
did not know up to his room? (soooo easy to be silent). What if it was the girlfriend of your best
friend? Or your girlfriend/sister/daughter?
 Can be a high price to go against the tide and stop a buddy who is making a move on a drunk
woman, but what price if you don’t? Do you think there is going to be any woman in your life who
you care about, if there is not already? How would it be if no one took a stand for them next time
they were out, and they were in a situation to potentially be raped?
 Would you be man enough to take a stand when someone was speaking about a woman as some
“thing” that was less than a man, the same as if that woman was the one you loved (she is or will be
by someone)?
Conclusion
 As long as we accept the attitudes and behaviors that promote rape, there will be rape. The choice is
yours. You are at a time in your life when you are developing your character, what it means to be a
friend, boyfriend, student (of books and life). What kind of man do you want to be? Someone who is
willing to take a stand, or only take a stand/side when it is safe, won’t rock the boat???
 Point: I don’t think rape is possible if men don’t perceive women as objects. For myself, I want more
than that from a relationship and sex. Otherwise, why would any man need anybody other than a
prostitute for sex, and a dog to be your best friend?