April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Women?s Resource Center has sponsored campus events such as the Sexual Assault and Criminal Justice panel, Activism Day, and the first annual CSUS Women Take Back the Night as ways for organizers to get the word out about sexual offenses.

“Women can?t walk the streets alone at night,” said Jessica Higgins, coordinator of the Sexual Assault Education and Advocacy Program. “The point we?re trying to make is that that?s not OK, that women shouldn?t have to fear violence and fear the opposite sex.”

A woman is sexually assaulted every two minutes in the United States, according to the 2000 National Crime Victimization Survey.The study also reports that women between the ages of 16 and 24 are three times more likely to be a victim of sexual assault than any other age group.

“The statistics are really scary,” Higgins said. “They speak loud and clear, that?s why activism is so important.”

“The fact that one in three women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime shows how big of a problem we have,” she added.

So far this year, Higgins said she has seen approximately 35 students regarding sexual assault crimes.

Not all students, however, have been sexual assault victims, she said.

“I get a lot of friends of victims that come in and want to know what they can do to help,” Higgins said.

Most stories she hears happen after someone has been drinking or doing drugs at a party or bar, Higgins said.

The Women?s Resource Center at Sacramento State hosted a sexual assault and criminal justice conference Tuesday to step up awareness about sexual assault crimes.

Speakers on the panel included Sacramento City Police Detective Avis Beery and Sacramento District Attorney Mike Neves.

The panel members said they chose to focus primarily on female assault victims based on a 1999 San Diego Police Department study that reported that 96 percent of all sexual offenses are perpetrated by men against women.

“Women often don?t even think they?ve been sexually assaulted,” Beery said. “The biggest problem with sexual assault is that people don?t understand what it is.”

“When most people think of sexual assault they think of it as being done by a complete stranger,” she said. “Just because you go home with a guy doesn?t mean you have to have sex with him.”

But Beery says the prevalence of date rape drugs is increasing at an alarming rate.

“Alcohol is the number one drug used by college students, but these drugs are just as easy to manufacture and get,” Beery said.

“We?re seeing a lot of GHB and ecstasy use.”

Many date rape drugs are clear in appearance and tastes somewhat salty. However, when slipped into an alcoholic beverage, it is virtually undetectable.

Date rape drugs make people act out character, making them engage in activities and allow things to be done to them that they otherwise would never do or tolerate.

“GHB, ecstasy, roofies ? they all get people sexually aroused,” Beery said. “It can make the most passive person suddenly become really aggressive.”

One of the most difficult aspects of sexual assault cases is reporting and prosecuting the alleged perpetrator.

Only 10-16 percent of rapes are reported to police, according to the Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center of the National Victim Center.

“Sexual assaults are grossly underreported,” Higgins said. “A lot of women don?t come to grips with what has happened to them.”

Fear of retaliation, embarrassment, fear of being blamed or judged, and not wanting to get anyone in trouble are the most common reasons victims give for not reporting and prosecuting.

Prosecution can often be a long, arduous process, which is a turn-off for a lot of victims, Beery said.

“It?s unfortunate but sometimes unavoidable,” she said. “A lot of victims don?t want to go through the mental and emotional stresses an investigation can bring.”

“The reality of it, though, is that victims may not get the end result they?re looking for, but we try our hardest to do everything in our legal power to help” she added.

Beery said the most heartbreaking cases are those they can?t prove. She said a common scenario is where victims wake up after the incident and don?t remember what happened to them, but have flashbacks to certain parts of their evening or have physical symptoms and markings that indicate something sexual occurred.

“It?s a ?he said, she said? kind of case, and we can?t prosecute that unless we have solid evidence,” Beery said.

Whether a sexual assault occurs on or off campus has a huge bearing on whether Campus Police get involved. Campus Police do not have any jurisdiction in off-campus assaults.

However, if a Sac State student reports the incident to campus authorities, the case is forwarded to the Sacramento City Police Department.

Campus Police conducts a criminal investigation, with the victim?s consent, of all on-campus sexual assaults. Once a complete investigation has been done, police will send the case to the district attorney?s office for review and possible prosecution.

“Our staff is very well-trained in dealing with sexual assault cases,” said John Hamrick, campus police public information officer. “But these cases are difficult because you?re dealing with such sensitive, personal issues.”

“We look at one sexual assault as too many,” he continued.Since 1998, there have been 15 forcible sex offenses reported, according to Campus Crime Statistics.

The 2001 introduction of the Clery Act requires all University of California and California State University institutions to promptly report and provide crime statistics to the public.

For more information on sexual assaults, or to participate in Sexual Assault Awareness Month, contact the Women?s Resource Center at 278-7388.

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