Understanding Sexual Assault

Sexual assault can include rape, incest, forcible and non-forcible fondling, and child molestation.  Not all sexual assaults constitute rape, but all sexual assault deserve to be taken seriously.  In Ohio, major types of sexual assaults include:

 

Sexual Imposition--unwanted touching of a person's erogenous zones for the purpose of sexual gratification.  Think of erogenous zones as anything a bathing suit covers.

 

Gross Sexual Imposition--unwanted touching when force or threat of force is used or when the victim is unable to give consent.

 

Rape--oral, anal, or genital intercourse with an unwilling victim through force or threat of force or when the victim is unable to give consent.  Rape includes attempted rape and rape with an object.

 

Sexual assault is not a crime of passion or act of lovemaking. It is an act of power, control, anger, and violence. Survivors of sexual assault are not responsible for their assaults; the perpetrator is.

 

Only about one in 10 rapes are reported to the police; some studies suggest that as many as one in four women will be raped in her lifetime. Men may also be victims of sexual assault; it is estimated that one in 10 men will be sexually assaulted in his lifetime.

 

 

Acquaintance and Date Rape

 

Acquaintance rape is a sexual assault crime committed by someone whom the victim knows. It is also called date rape if the crime happens on a date. Being forced into having sex - even if it's by someone you know - is still RAPE and it's a CRIME. Here are some facts:

 

Most sexual assaults are perpetrated by acquaintances of the survivors, not strangers. According to a national study, 77 percent of rape survivors knew their attacker.

 

Most acquaintance rapes happen to women ages 16 to 24.

 

Alcohol is a contributing factor to sexual assault. According to the same study, in 50 percent of all acquaintance rape cases on college campuses, both parties had been drinking; in 75 percent of cases, at least one party had been drinking.

 

Miami's Sexual Assault Services and the Aquaintance Rape Resource Guide have additional information. The Coordinator of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs (100 Health Services Center, 529-1870) can also be contacted for more information.

If It Happens to You

Immediately following a sexual assault, get emergency medical care. Your physical health should be your first priority.  You may have injuries that need immediate attention and it is important to test for sexually transmitted infections and discuss the option of emergency contraception.  McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford has specially trained sexual assault nurse examiners. You will not be billed for services. You should not change your clothes or otherwise cleanse yourself before going to the hospital in order to preserve physical evidence that may be needed for investigation and prosecution should you decide to pursue legal remedies.

 

Report the assault to the authorities. The more often sexual assaults are reported, the easier it may be to prevent them. Reporting an assault to the University Police or other law enforcement or campus security authorities does not require filing criminal charges, but it does allow support systems to be put in place for the survivor. Reporting is best done as soon as possible after the assault, but it may be done at any time. Students can make their report to any campus security authority, including, but not limited to, University Police (513-529-2222), Oxford Police (513-523-4321), Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution (513-529-1417), advisors to recognized student organizations and athletic coaches. The University will assist students who report sexual assault in obtaining medical support and information regarding available legal and judicial resources as well as counseling and support services.

 

Personal crimes, including assaults, sexual assaults, and hate crimes, are a very serious concern of the Miami University Police.  Students who choose to notify police should be aware of the importance of the immediacy of reporting the incident and the importance of preserving physical evidence at the assault scene as well as on the person assaulted. The gathering of physical evidence can provide important evidence and support criminal charges leading to a successful prosecution. Do not shower, wash, douche, or change your clothes, even though that may be your immediate reaction. 

 

Students who are reporting an immediate assault should be accompanied to a health care facility of their choice to allow for collection of evidence and treatment. If a sexual assault victim chooses to report the incident days, weeks, or even months after the assault, important support systems are still available and can be arranged; however, criminal investigations are much more difficult.

 

Sexual assaults, for which individuals seek medical treatment, must be reported to the appropriate police unit by health care officials. However, as noted above, students are not required to criminally prosecute the case or file a police report, unless the sexual assault survivor is a minor.

 

Reporting an assault to the police ensures that the incident will be included in the University’s annual crime statistics report. It does not commit you to pursuing the charge but does allow you to keep your options open.

 

Seek support from both your friends and from people trained to help you. Counseling is available 24 hours a day by calling independent Butler County Rape Crisis Program at 513-523-4146.  This program provides victim advocates who can meet survivors at the hospital, help them work through feeligns, discuss options, and offer assistance with referrals and follow-up.  Students may also seek assistance from the University's Oxford Student Counseling Service at 513-529-4634 during normal business hours.  On-call counselors can be reached at any time through the university police dispatcher at 513-529-2222.

 

Miami will make changes in your academic (all campuses) and living arrangements (Oxford Campus) if you wish.   Contact the Dean of Students, 109 Kreger Hall, at 513-529-1877.

 

Learn more details on Miami's Campus Sexual Assault Prevention Programs, including reporting procedures and counseling resources.

If It Happens to Someone You Know

• Listen, do not judge.
• Give comfort. Realize the victim may be dealing with fear, insecurity, embarrassment, humiliation, guilt, and frustration. You can play an important role by providing reassurance and support.
• Encourage action. Help the victim call the police, contact a hotline, go to the hospital.

 

Information for this article came from a number of sources, including the National Crime Prevention Council, the Ohio Coalition on Sexual Assault, Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, and the Ohio Department of Health.