PREVENTION

There are things that we can do to reduce our risks of experiencing sexual assault.

Sexual Assault Prevention Committee – is a group of staff and students who are committed to providing information, programs, and resources to the campus community that helps reduce the amount of harassment and violence in the Macalester community. Contact Lisa Landreman, Associate Dean of Students, at llandrem@macalester.edu for more information.

Visit resources/support for information on how you can become involved with organizations and initiatives on sexual assault prevention.

General Safety Tips

Stay Alert

• Be especially careful in situations involving the use of drugs or alcohol. Drugs and alcohol can make you less aware of danger signs and less able to communicate clearly.
• Be responsible if you use alcohol or drugs because they affect your awareness and it is much more difficult to be in control of the situation when you are intoxicated. Know your drinking limits.
• Educating yourself about the components of "healthy sexuality" is a crucial part of reducing your risk of experiencing sexual assault more»
  

Role of Friends

• Create a buddy system before you go out and keep tabs on each other. Be aware of each other’s safety throughout the evening (where they are, who they are with, etc.).
• Leave parties with people you know and don’t leave a friend stranded without a way home. Don't leave alone or with someone you don't know very well.
• At parties where there is drinking or drugs, appoint a "designated sober person," one friend who won't drink and who will look out for the others in the group by regularly checking on them.

React

• Don't be afraid to ask for help or "make a scene" if you feel threatened. If you are being pressured or forced into sexual activity against your will, let the other person know how you feel and get out of the situation, even if it's awkward and even if you embarrass the other person or hurt his or her feelings.
• If you have reason to believe that a friend or another person is being raped, call the police immediately and do what you can to get your friend and yourself out of that situation.
• Enroll in a self-defense class to gain more confidence and learn techniques to get out of a potentially dangerous situation.
  

Reducing the Risk for Stranger Assault

• Stay in well-lit areas and avoid doorways, bushes and alleys if at all possible.
• Walk confidently and assertively and know your surroundings. A rapist looks for someone who appears vulnerable and passive.
• Be alert and prepared to run, fight, or scream.
• Wear clothes and shoes that give you freedom of movement.
• If you think you are being followed, walk quickly to areas where there are people.
• Carry your keys in your hand and be prepared to use them as a weapon.
• Do not go along with someone who demands you go with them, even if they have a weapon. Your chances of escaping unharmed are better where you are than anywhere they plan to take you.

Be a savvy traveler.

• If you are traveling somewhere over break or to study abroad, you will probably find yourself in an unfamiliar place. Before you leave, make sure you know how to stay safe in the place you're traveling to:
  --Are there certain areas of the city you'll be staying in that are known to be especially dangerous?
  --Find out the emergency numbers for the area and keep them on hand.
  Do you have a way to safely carry valuables and important documents?
  -- Do you have basic information about the culture of the place you're traveling to?
• These questions apply to anywhere you go, inside or outside the United States. If you're going to another country, check out the safety guidelines for the country to which you'll be traveling.