| Show Violence toward women still plays J part in society Jeremy Holm Contributing Writer The evening starts out like most any others Your dress to kill in your newest outfit and then head out with your girlfriends girlfriends girlfriends girl girl- friends to a club to have a night on the town After a few hours of dancing in the crowded muggy room you and your new dance partner head to a table to sit down He runs off to buy some Every 2 2112 2 1 min somewhere in America a woman is raped drinks and returns a few minutes minutes minutes min min- utes later With a coy smile he slides over a glass and you hurriedly down it to quench your thirst The next thing you know you wake up in a strange pace p f cew s d 5 O of I h. h you cant can't remember what happe hap hap- pe ed One thing is clear though You were just raped Sadly enough this is astory a astory astory story many women can relate to Michelle Broadrick age 20 from San Francisco California cried as she related related related ed her experience with rape Broadrick is a former Calvin Klein model semi-pro semi softball softball softball soft- soft ball player and a sophomore at the University of Southern California preparing for a career in the medical fieldI field I want to be a nurse so that I can help people Broadrick said Fortunately for her four of th at her menus were mere Ul l' l night to assist her They stood in the attackers attacker's way and stopped him Broadrick awoke to the concerned and tear-streaked tear faces of her companions It scares me to death Broadrick said I never thought it would happen to tome tome tome me that some guy would do that I was just out there for a fun night Going to get out of the stressful situations of life just be there to have fun be with my friends t Thanks to those friends mends she was one of the lucky Ones According to the i 2003 orvn 3 National Crime Victimization Survey from the Bureau of Justice Statistics U US U.S. S Department of Justice every two and a half minutes somewhere in America a woman is raped According to the 1998 survey survey survey sur sur- sur- sur vey fr from m Prevalence Incidence and Consequences Against Women of Violence Survey one out of every six American women have been the victims of an attempted or N completed rape in their lifetime lifetime lifetime life life- time percent completed attempted attempted r raped ed 28 P percent rape are not the But women vic victims of f rape only The same s survey ey also that about three per percent states men 2 78 of American experienced million have attempted or completed an rape in their life lifetime What kind of guy would do this Broadrick asked Chances are its it's someone the victim already knows Approximately 70 percent of female victims and 74 percent percent percent per per- cent of male victims are raped by a friend acquaintance acquaintance acquaintance tance or family member How then does one avoid being sexually assaulted There is no silver bullet said Rachelle Hill Coordinator for West Valley Victim Services with the West Valley Police Department What you can do to protect protect protect pro pro- yourself is be aware of your surroundings Do you trust everyone you are with Always use the buddy system system system tem Hill in said Hill added that when attending a club or party arrive and leave with the same person She also said that when going clubbing or partying never leave your drink unattended always park in well-lit well areas Hill said that people should just use common sense You definitely have to be c careful until you can get to know them said aidt aid Broadrick e he i I r pW 1 experience If he asks to buy you a drink you go with him Carry it yourself Make sure you get getto getto getto to know him before you do anything Dont Don't be alone with him Broadrick said While precautions such as these have been proven to reduce the chances of being sexually assaulted attacks do still occur Hill offers the following counsel to victims of rape Go immediately to the hospital and let them help you Dont Don't shower dont don't use the restroom or brush your teeth They have what we callan call callan an R exam that can be performed performed performed per per- formed up to four days after the rape occurs A DNA exam etc This is important for the safety of the victim The hospital will check for internal injuries and transmitted transmit transmit- ted diseases For more information or if you have been sexually assaulted call the National Sexual Assault Hotline operated operated operated oper oper- by 1 HOPE The Rape Recovery Center another profit non-profit organization can be reached locally at or Its never too late to call Hill said Even if it happened happened happened hap hap- years ago help is still here for you The most important thing to remember is that its it's not your fault That's why we call it rape I |
