Sexual assault on college campuses isn't a topic most parents or students want to think about, yet the more likely scenario is that both have thought about the subject but still have a hard time believing it could happen to them. However, as the recent New York Times article points out, "A study by United Educators, an insurance company owned by more than 1,200 member colleges and universities, found that 63 percent of accusers in sexual assault cases are first-year students."
As uncomfortable as it may be to discuss, sexual assault is a critically important subject for young women and men as well. Not only can it emotional and physically scar a young women, "getting arrested for sexual assault can mark a young man for life," states the article's author. Neither party thinks about that when they've had too much to drink.
Until I read the article, I had not heard of "bystander intervention programs," but they make sense! In fact, this approach might be more effective because students share the responsibility for taking care of each other. The premise is rather simple. If a student sees a friend being targeted at a party, he or she steps in, distracting one of them in one creative way or another. It's the buddy system at its best.
With several high profile college assault cases in the news and increased attention from the Obama administration, colleges are having to figure out new ways to educate students and handle the reported cases. Much like the designated driver campaign, colleges hope the bystander program will take hold in the students' conscience, and so far it does seem to be working.
Parents: please read the article and share it with your daughter. Then discuss. This issue is too important to ignore. Students: you should always have a designated bystander or buddy to come to your rescue. It's the least you can do for each other.
*Another good website to explore is the Clery Center for Security on Campus http://clerycenter.org/
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