A number of emails have circulated in cyberspace discussing what a woman should and should not do in order to avoid being the victim of a sexual assault or rape.
Let's FINALLY set the record straight.
One assertion is that the number one thing rapists look for is hairstyle and number two is the type of clothing a woman is wearing, i.e., items that can be removed easily.
This statement is incorrect. According to law enforcement officials, no such trend has ever been documented. Short hair or long hair, young or old, short or tall, thin or full-figured, dressed for a night on the town or looking like they just came from the gym, absolutely anyone can be a victim. In the United States in 2006, well over 2 million females reported being the victim of a violent crime such as rape, sexual assault, robbery and assault.
Rape and sexual assault are not always about getting sex quickly. A man may rape because he wants to impress his friends by losing his virginity, or because he wants to take vengeance against a woman who has rejected him. It is most often an act of rage or punishment directed at a vulnerable person for various reasons, including the need to control and dominate. An attacker getting a woman out of her clothes quickly is not the controlling factor in a rape, violence is.
Other misconceptions are that "men are most likely to attack and rape a woman in the early morning between 5:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m." and "the number one place women are abducted or attacked is a grocery store parking lot, the number two location is an office parking lot/garage, and the number three location is a public restroom."
To the contrary, statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice confirm that approximately two-thirds of rapes and sexual assaults occur between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. And, while location is an important consideration in a violent sexual assault, any place can be dangerous if it is in an isolated area. Busy areas that are frequented by many individuals are far less likely to be chosen by a rapist than poorly lit, out of the way places. To avoid an attack, don't walk alone in remote areas if you can avoid it; park where the majority of other cars are parked, and make sure it is in a well lit area if you will be going back to your car after dark.
It has also been stated that only about two percent of rapists carry a weapon such as a gun or knife. However, according to the 2006 National Crime Victimization Survey prepared by the U.S. Department of Justice, the percentage of incidents where a weapon was used in a rape or sexual assault was 18 percent, compared with 27.9 percent for all completed violent crimes.
FIGHT BACK OR NOT?
If you find yourself the victim of an attempted sexual assault, should you fight back? Well, it depends.
According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, and a report prepared by the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, active resistance can decrease the chances of a completed rape by about 80 percent. The bottom line is this: If someone is just looking to take your valuables and they have a weapon, give them up. On the other hand, if an attacker is looking to sexually assault or rape you, statistics support the conclusion that you should "fight back." Remember that active resistance could be as simple as making noise and bringing attention to yourself. This can "disrupt" the attacker's "plan" and he may get discouraged or lose focus. If you respond with a physical counter-attack, make sure to commit to your decision because there is no turning back. And remember, your goal is to escape, not to win.
It is important to remember that every individual attacker and situation will be different, and there is no one set of correct responses. While it is true that fighting back may cause an attacker to become even more agitated, it is important that before reacting, you listen to your gut, and let your experience and common sense kick in.
BE PREPARED!
The key to women's safety is very simple: Education. Women must arm themselves with the tools necessary to respond to a number of different situations. What may work in one situation against one perpetrator may not work in another.
According to a study conducted at Ohio University, researchers examined how participating in a sexual assault risk reduction program effected college women's likelihood to experience a sexual assault. Findings indicated that at the two-month follow-up, three times as many rapes were reported among the women who did not take the risk reduction program that included a self defense component compared to those who participated in this type of program.
Safety awareness is about using your common sense, being well informed, thinking in advance, and planning ahead.
The National Organization for Women's Safety Awareness developed four basic "TIPS" that, if followed, will significantly decrease anyone's chances of being the victim of an assault or rape.
Think. Anticipate your response/reaction before an incident occurs. Ask yourself, "What would I do if...?
Interrupt. Try to stop the occurrence, development or progress of an incident by remembering the "DIVA'S 5 Steps to Safety" as developed by Stylish Safety, Inc.:?
Distraction. Pay attention to your surroundings and stay focused.
Intuition. Always trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't;
Vulnerability. Don't put yourself in a vulnerable situation.
Assessment. Carefully analyze and assess the situation at hand and be ready to react.
Skills. Know your weapons, natural and material, and how and when to use them, i.e., hands, fingers, handbag, ATM card, whistle, umbrella, book, etc. The high heels of those Manolo Blahniks can be an extremely effective weapon to fight off an attacker!
Practice. Physically rehearse how you will react and what you will do if someone grabs or attacks you. Do this as if you were a child practicing a fire drill.
Speed and Strength. React with purpose and force. You may have a small window of opportunity to act and even a smaller amount of time to escape.
KNOW SOME BASIC PERSONAL DEFENSIVE TACTICS!
It takes many years of training to become proficient in any martial art, but you don't have to be a Black Belt to be able to defend yourself. Every woman should know at least a few basic yet highly effective defensive tactics.? One of the most forceful defensive moves is a SWIFT strike to the throat area just below the Adam's Apple, with your fingers or a stiff hand. Always think "stun and run."
Another powerful response is to push both your hands up into the attackers chin, forcing his head to whip back.
Yet another effective move is to push the side/edge of your hand directly underneath the middle of someone's nose.
Jabbing your fingers into a facial orifice can be quite successful as well.
Finally, if you are brought to the ground, try to get up immediately. If you cannot, stay on your back keeping your body rounded with your feet up. Keep the perpetrator away with your legs, feet and kicks. If a person gets on top of you while you are on your back, keep your elbows and hands up in front of your face. Then try to get the person off by bumping your pelvis up forcefully with your hips to get him to get off balance. Once he falls forward, try to roll onto your side and get up.
Although the information above may seem daunting, it is important that women not live in fear because confidence and a positive attitude are two of their strongest weapons. Women should continue to live remarkable lives, but while doing so they should remember to keep their eyes open and walk with their heads up a little higher and shoulders back a little further. So ladies, go put on your Manolos, grab your Louis Vuitton, and arm yourselves with style and safety!
Please share this article with your daughters, mothers, sisters and all the women in your lives. It may save theirs.
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