Editor’s note: Part one of a three-part series focusing on women’s issues of safety and assault.

With women’s safety in mind, the Women’s Resource Center has pledged to promote Sexual Assault Awareness Month by informing students of the devastating effects of sexual assault.

Victim Advocate Jessica Heskin said April which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is important for universities because of the demographics and daily habits of most college students. “Most cases of sexual assault involving women occur when they are between the ages of 16 and 24,” Heskin said. “That’s a large portion of our campus population.”

Heskin said that one out of every five women will be sexually assaulted during their college career with approximately 85 percent of those assaults involving alcohol.

“What people have to remember is that in college populations, 85 percent of all sexual assaults are committed by an acquaintance or someone the victim met within the last 24 hours, not a stranger,” Heskin said. “(Students) are more likely to be assaulted by a classmate or someone they met at a party than by a random person jumping out from behind the bushes.” Heskin said that while sexual assault happens to men and women, women are more likely to become victims of sexual assault. She said that while safety is never guaranteed, there are a number of things that women can do to keep themselves safe.

“Women should always trust their instincts,” Heskin said. “If you feel uneasy around someone, don’t worry about being rude or unfriendly?either leave or tell them to leave.”

Heskin also recommends that women set their own sexual and social boundaries, use alcohol with caution, take friends to all social gatherings and events and participate in a beginning self-defense class.

According to a WRC pamphlet, self-defense classes can either be taken through the WRC free of charge, at the university for course credit or through an outside provider.

Sacramento State in particular offers everything from women’s beginning and intermediate self-defense classes to self-defense and conditioning classes for both women and men.

Self-defense instructor Midge Marino said that, contrary to popular belief, it is the mental aspect of self-defense, not the physical, that makes women more willing and able to protect themselves.

“Our minds are the strongest weapons we have,” Marino said.

Marino said that she breaks her one-unit class into three segments ,including psychological preparation, awareness or prevention and physical techniques.

“I start with pink and blue, or male and female socialization,” Marino said. “I cover the common female stereotype of women being dependent on men, while men are expected to be the strong masculine ones.”

Marino said that she tells her female students to trade their fear for anger and take control.

“(Sexual) predators are nothing but cowards,” Marino said. “When women feel strong and learn to walk with confidence, they no longer look like victims.”

Sophomore kinesiology major Courtney Miller said that self-defense classes are helpful because they offer female students the opportunity to learn basic safety techniques in a safe and comfortable environment.

“(The classes) offer women the ability to feel like they have some say in what happens to them and their bodies,” Miller said.

University Police Sgt. Kelly Clark said that along with being physically prepared, women must also be observant and realize that no place is exempt from crime or danger.

“Incidents do happen,” Clark said. “Students need to be aware of their surroundings at all times.”

Clark also recommends that women avoid poorly lit areas, walk in pairs and carry a cell phone with the phone numbers for the Sacramento Police Department and University Police pre-programmed in it. He also said that students should avoid parking in isolated areas, take advantage of the CSUS Safety Shuttle, which will transport students to and from their cars free of charge, and report all incidents to University Police, the WRC or both.

“We have specially trained investigators to assist you as well as a multitude of additional resources, including professional counselors,” Clark said. “Your well-being is our highest priority.”

Heskin said that students are also encouraged to come to the WRC for help and counseling.

“(When a students comes to me), I assess their situation and inform them of their rights and options,” Heskin said. “Then we come up with a plan to make sure they get whatever care ?.I never tell a victim to report. I go along with whatever the victim feels safest doing.”

Heskin said that a major part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month is spreading the word that women’s safety is the responsibility of both men and women.

“I think that men need to take more responsibility for their behavior,” Heskin said. “A lot of preventative strategies are targeted toward women?yet 98 percent of all sexual predators are male, regardless of the gender of the victim.”

Heskin said that with this in mind, the campus recently established a Men Against Violence program.

“(We realized) that we needed to (educate) men more,” Heskin said. “We need to tell them that it’s not OK to have sex with women when they are drunk or not of sound mind?.And that they need to step in when they see one of their male friends targeting a woman at a party.”

Heskin said that another important aspect of Sexual Assault Awareness Month is battling against common misconceptions about sexual assault.

“What people have to remember is that in college populations, 85 percent of all sexual assaults are committed by an acquaintance, or someone the victim met within the last 24 hours, not a stranger,” Heskin said. “(Students) are more likely to be assaulted by a classmate, or someone they met at a party, than by a random person jumping out from behind the bushes.”

Heskin said that there are a number of sexual assault related patterns and behaviors that students, as well as their friends and family members, should look out for. She said that among these are jealousy, controlling behavior, threats of violence, hypersensitivity and cruelty to children and animals.

“There are other things to look out for as well,” Heskin said. “Like if he cuts you off from supportive resources like friends and family members or if he blames others for his problems. Other patterns include ‘playful’ use of force during sex, verbal abuse, sudden mood swings or unpredictable behavior, the breaking or striking of objects when angry or a past history of battering.”

Heskin said that in an effort to promote Sexual Assault Awareness Month even more the WRC will be holding a number of events during the month of April. She said students should visit the WRC homepage for more information about victim services and events.

Ashley Evans can be reached at [email protected]