Many people have asked me what I would recommend parents or their college-age stduents do when they hear about my interest and research on college sexual assault. Here are 10 proactive steps that can lessen the risk of becoming a victim and improve the overall climate on campuses. Among these actions are:
- Enroll in a martial-arts based self-defense program as early as middle school or ninth grade that includes scenario-based training and situational awareness.
- Encourage high schools to include human sexuality in their curricula so that students are at least exposed to professional opinion about sex, intimacy, and human bonding, and why sexual assault and rape can be so devastating.
- Encourage high school college counselors to include workshops on the risks and dangers on modern campus life, including bystander roles, responsibilities, and interventions.
- Encourage parent groups and associations to hold workshops on campus sexual assault, risk reduction, and prevention.
- Encourage adult discussions with teenagers and college-age children about sexual assault and how it impacts their lives and the lives of their friends.
- Be open to a wide range of remedies and strategies for addressing sexual assault on college campuses while also insisting on evidence-based accountability in the programs;
- Insist that colleges and universities hold offenders accountable, and provide evidence that their programs are reducing risks of sexual assault faced by students.
- Read the campus sexual assault policies for the colleges and universities students plan to attend.
- Ask for data on sexual assaults, investigations, and the results of those investigations.
- Ensure college-bound students are aware of programs and support available to them and their friends at the schools they plan to attend.Type your paragraph here.