Sacramento State took a giant step toward the prevention of sexual assault in its community by hiring Jessica Higgins as the coordinator of the Sexual Assault Education and Advocacy Program.

Higgins, who previously worked full time for Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE), came on board at Sac State last fall and is excited to be an advocate and education coordinator for the program.

Sitting in her office in the Women?s Resource Center, which by the way is filled with a myriad of books all relating to women?s issues, with a beeper attached to her lapel, she enthusiastically explained the importance of her position in regard to helping students.

“Sacramento State previously had a rape prevention program housed in the Student Health Center,” Higgins said. “It made more sense to have this program in the Women?s Resource Center because a student who has been sexually assaulted but not actually raped might not think to go to the Health Center for help.”

“Someone who has been assaulted needs one focal point or person to go to for help and that?s where I come in,” she said. “I can help a student when she (sometimes he) has been assaulted with any area they might need help in, whether it is legal issues, medical needs, counseling or even to help mediating with professors concerning absences or assignments. I?m here to help them get through the crises and go on,” said Higgins.

Higgins recently graduated from Sac State with her bachelor?s in women?s studies and she plans to finish with a master?s in behavioral science.

She is a certified rape crisis counselor and is still working on a part-time basis with WEAVE.

A very warm and personable character, Higgins sees this new position as not just an opportunity to help students once they?ve been assaulted, but also a chance to educate the community here at Sac State in an attempt to reduce the risk and percentage of sexual assault occurrences.

Higgins revealed some very alarming statistics:

For every 1,000 women attending a college institution, there may be approximately 35 rapes per year, according to a 1999 statement by Sexual Victimization of College Women.

There are 13,892 women attending Sac State, which translates into 486 possible rapes per year in this institution.

Approximately 1 out of 5 undergraduate women are victims of sexual assault, according to the 1995 Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology and 1997 Journal of American College Health.

Twenty-five percent of college males admitted to engaging in some form of sexual aggression, according to The Campus Community Confronts Sexual Assault.

According to NCTV, one out of eight Hollywood films depict a rape scene (Transforming a Rape Culture, 1993).

Higgins sees a great need to educate since the statistics disclose severe information. She also blames drugs as a catalyst of sexual assaults.

“I mean GHB (Gamma Hydroxyl Butyrate, the date rape drug) is everywhere, and it is also a very addictive substance,” said Higgins.

April is “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” and the center has scheduled two dynamic speakers, Higgins said. The topics that will be covered are, “Sex Power and the Media,” and “Date Rape Drugs, What You Should Know.”

“I see this as risk reduction rather than prevention,” Higgins explained.

“We need to stop this for good and education is the only way,” Higgins said.

“That?s what I love about the college campus ? this is a place where old and young are always learning and we can change the way our culture views these issues with education.”