Sexual Assault
In this website, we encourage you to talk with your college-age child about scenarios where they might have to make choices about alcohol. Through the feedback we’ve received, families have told us that they want to know more about talking with their college-age child about how alcohol relates to sexual assault. You might find it hard or uncomfortable to talk with your college-aged child about sex, much less sexual assault. Like many families of college students, it is probably on your mind, and it is important for your college-age child to think about it too.
When you’re ready to talk about it, we hope you’ll find some useful starting points here. Your college-age child might not agree with you on everything, but this is a chance to break the ice on the topic. Like we’ve said before, your voice matters.
What is sexual assault?
The simplest way of describing it is any unwanted sexual touching or activity. Sexual assault is a broader term than rape. Examples include when someone tries to rape, forces someone to do a sexual act, or touches someone in a sexual way when they don’t want to be touched. Sexual assault is a crime and an act of violence, not a sexual misunderstanding. It can happen to anyone regardless of gender, age, race, or sexual orientation. No one deserves to be sexually assaulted. When an alcohol-involved sexual assault happens, it is never the survivor’s fault. The only person responsible for a sexual assault is the perpetrator.
Start by asking open-ended questions rather than yes/no questions. Doing this is a sign that you want to talk and not just lecture. It is a good way to show that you care about the opinions and experiences of your college-age child.
It helps to know what your college-age child thinks about this topic. It could be that they never thought about it at all. Or, it could be that they thought about it a lot, or maybe even helped a friend deal with an assault.
“I don’t want you going on a trip to waste your time drinking.”
Don’t tell “war stories.”
How common is sexual assault, and how often is alcohol involved?
During their time in college, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted. Alcohol is the number one drug used to facilitate sexual assault. About half of all college sexual assaults are alcohol-involved. Survivors of alcohol-involved sexual assault often do not seek help because they fear being blamed. When anyone experiences a sexual assault, it is important not to judge or blame them for what happened.
How will this information help me talk with my college-age child about alcohol and sexual assault?
As family members of college students, your number one concern is safety. Being able to explain how alcohol and sexual assault are connected is part of your job to help your college-age child stay safe. It’s a difficult job, like many of the things you do as a family member, but it’s important. This webpage includes facts to help you learn more about alcohol and sexual assault, scripts to guide you on what to say and to avoid saying, and a list of organizations related to sexual assault and assisting survivors. Although alcohol is the most common drug linked to sexual assault, this information could be used for talking with your college-age child about sexual assault and other drugs as well.
Read the Rest of the ArticleSexual Assault
In this website, we encourage you to talk with your college-age child about scenarios where they might have to make choices about alcohol. Through the feedback we’ve received, families have told us that they want to know more about talking with their college-age child about how alcohol relates to sexual assault. You might find it hard or uncomfortable to talk with your college-aged child about sex, much less sexual assault. Like many families of college students, it is probably on your mind, and it is important for your college-age child to think about it too.
When you’re ready to talk about it, we hope you’ll find some useful starting points here. Your college-age child might not agree with you on everything, but this is a chance to break the ice on the topic. Like we’ve said before, your voice matters.
What is sexual assault?
The simplest way of describing it is any unwanted sexual touching or activity. Sexual assault is a broader term than rape. Examples include when someone tries to rape, forces someone to do a sexual act, or touches someone in a sexual way when they don’t want to be touched. Sexual assault is a crime and an act of violence, not a sexual misunderstanding. It can happen to anyone regardless of gender, age, race, or sexual orientation. No one deserves to be sexually assaulted. When an alcohol-involved sexual assault happens, it is never the survivor’s fault. The only person responsible for a sexual assault is the perpetrator.
Start by asking open-ended questions rather than yes/no questions. Doing this is a sign that you want to talk and not just lecture. It is a good way to show that you care about the opinions and experiences of your college-age child.
It helps to know what your college-age child thinks about this topic. It could be that they never thought about it at all. Or, it could be that they thought about it a lot, or maybe even helped a friend deal with an assault.
“I don’t want you going on a trip to waste your time drinking.”
Don’t tell “war stories.”
How common is sexual assault, and how often is alcohol involved?
During their time in college, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted. Alcohol is the number one drug used to facilitate sexual assault. About half of all college sexual assaults are alcohol-involved. Survivors of alcohol-involved sexual assault often do not seek help because they fear being blamed. When anyone experiences a sexual assault, it is important not to judge or blame them for what happened.
How will this information help me talk with my college-age child about alcohol and sexual assault?
As family members of college students, your number one concern is safety. Being able to explain how alcohol and sexual assault are connected is part of your job to help your college-age child stay safe. It’s a difficult job, like many of the things you do as a family member, but it’s important. This webpage includes facts to help you learn more about alcohol and sexual assault, scripts to guide you on what to say and to avoid saying, and a list of organizations related to sexual assault and assisting survivors. Although alcohol is the most common drug linked to sexual assault, this information could be used for talking with your college-age child about sexual assault and other drugs as well.
Read the Rest of the Article