57 2024 ANNUAL SECURITY REPORT https://www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us/. Reducing Risk for Self or Others PROTECTIVE BEHAVIORS & RISK REDUCTION Risk reduction means options designed to decrease perpetration and bystander inaction, and to increase empowerment for victims in order to promote safety and to help individuals and communities address conditions that facilitate violence. It is possible to follow all of these tips and still be the target of someone else’s harmful behavior. With no intention to blame the victim, and with recognition that only those who commit sexual violence are responsible for those actions, these suggestions may nevertheless help reduce a person’s risk of experiencing a nonconsensual sexual act or other crime. No matter what choices a person makes, each one deserves to be safe and respected, and experiencing violence is never a victim’s fault. It is never acceptable to use force in sexual situations, no matter what the circumstances. • Have healthy, open and ongoing conversations with your partner or potential partner about sex and sexual contact. Talk about your boundaries and what behaviors you both feel comfortable, and uncomfortable, engaging in. Communicate firmly, clearly and directly. • Understand that sexual assault can happen between persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. • Make sure you have enthusiastic, affirmative and ongoing consent from your partner. Consent is a clear and freely given yes, not the absence of a no. • Don’t automatically assume that someone wants to have sex just because they drink heavily, dress in a certain way, or agree to go back to your room. • Consent to one act does not mean consent to other acts. Communicate and be responsive. You must continually get consent for sex. If someone seems not okay with what’s happening, it is your responsibility to check in. • Everyone should be especially careful in situations involving the use of alcohol and other drugs. Alcohol and other drugs can interfere with one’s ability to assess situations and to communicate effectively. • Most commonly, sexual assault is perpetrated not by a stranger but by someone the victim knows, typically a date or acquaintance. • People who are incapacitated by alcohol or drugs cannot give consent. Everyone should be aware that having sexual contact with someone who is mentally incapable of giving consent is sexual assault. If you have sex with a person who is drugged, intoxicated, “sleeping” or passed out, incapable of saying “yes” or “no” or unaware what is happening to them, then you may have committed a sexual assault. • Do not pressure others to drink or use drugs and be alert to people pressuring you or others to use. • Alcohol and drugs are often used to create vulnerability to sexual assault. Studies of sexual assault incidents show a high correlation between sexual assault perpetration, victimization and drug/alcohol usage. • Each individual has the right to make their own decisions about drinking. No one should be pressured to consume more than they want to. • Some sex offenders target people by using alcohol as a weapon. Get your own drinks; don’t let someone continually fill your cup or leave your drink unattended. • Use and encourage others to have a companion or a safe means of getting home, i.e., a trusted friend, taxi, ride share service or the university shuttle bus. • If an authority figure pressures you to engage in sexual activity, you are encouraged to tell someone if that is a safe option. Increasing On-Campus Safety The following tips may reduce your risk for many different types of crimes, including sexual violence.
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