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| Sexual Assault Prevention |
Every person is the potential victim of sexual assault. Reported victims in Florida range in age from two months to
96 years. No age group is immune.
All persons, regardless of race, age, social, economic status or lifestyle are potential victims of rapists. The most
vulnerable target is a woman alone. Often the assailant is someone who they know either closely or casually.
Studies do not indicate any age preference by rapists, nor do they support the myth that sexual assault is provoked
by either a woman’s mode of dress or her mannerisms.
Most frequently, the rapist is a man who is emotionally unstable yet deals with life on a day-to-day basis in a
reasonably normal and competent manner. He is often an apparently normal individual, but one who has difficulty
relating to others in a permanent or lasting fashion. According to reported cases of sexual assault, the assailant
is often a friend, date, relative, co-worker or casual acquaintance. It is important to remember that exhibitionists
and "peeping Toms" should be considered potentially dangerous since these acts may be part of a fantasy, which
includes rape.
WHY DOES THIS CRIME OCCUR?
Sexual assault is a crime of violence! Rapists are emotionally unstable persons who view their victims as objects
rather than human beings. They seek to vent their hostility, aggression, frustrations and insecurities on their
victims. Sexual gratification does not provide the motivation for the rapist’s crime.
They want to humiliate and degrade their victims, while trying to gain power and control over them. Too often, the
rapist’s assault results in physical injury to the victim.
WHERE DO SEXUAL ASSAULTS OCCUR?
It can and does occur virtually anywhere, but the largest single grouping of reported incidents is in the home of
the victim or the assailant. However, it is important to be aware of all potentially hazardous areas including but
not limited to: remote areas, parking lots, public parks, shopping centers, alleyways, deserted buildings, stairwells,
vacant lots, garages, school campuses, beaches at night, school playgrounds, and laundromats.
Safety Tips:
Sexual assaults can and do occur in conjunction with other crimes such as burglary. The more effective preventive
measures and common sense precautions you take, the lower your chances are of becoming a victim of any crime. Whether
you take every precaution or no precautions, remember that you did nothing to provoke the assault.
IN YOUR HOME
- All exterior doors should be of solid wood/metal core construction.
- Use good quality deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.
- Change the locks on all exterior doors when you move into a new house or apartment.
- Install a peephole viewer with a 180-degree viewing angle in the front door.
- Keep the garage door closed at all times when it is not in use.
- Install key locks to secure sliding glass doors.
- Install adequate exterior lighting at all entrances.
- Don’t open the door to strangers.
- Never let anyone into your home to use the phone, even for an emergency. Offer to make the call for them, but
don’t let them in your house.
- Request identification from all repairmen and maintenance people.
- When listing your name on mailboxes, checkbook or phonebook, use first and middle initials so as not to
indicate your gender.
- While at home along at night, keep a light on in more than one room to make it appear that you are not alone.
- Never hide extra keys outside your home. Rapists and burglars know all the best hiding spots.
- Keep your doors locked at all times. Remember, rapists and burglars are opportunists looking for the easy
way in and out.
- Keep drapes/blinds drawn when changing clothes or retiring for the night.
- Contact your Crime Prevention Officer at 386.424.2440 for a FREE home security survey.
IN YOUR CAR
- Park in a well lighted area.
- Always lock your parked car.
- If working late, try to have a friend or security guard accompany you to your car.
- Be sure to check the floor and back seat before getting into your car.
- While driving, keep the doors locked.
- DO NOT drive home if you think you are being followed. Drive to the nearest gas, fire or police station, or
to the nearest well-lighted area where there are people. If you have a cell phone, dial 911 for help indicating
to the dispatcher the location of your vehicle, i.e. direction of travel.
- If you have car trouble on the road, raise the hood and then wait inside the car with the doors locked and
the windows up.
- Don’t pick up hitchhikers under any circumstances.
ON THE STREET
- Always be alert and aware of your surroundings and other people.
- If someone in a vehicle is harassing you, turn and walk in the opposite direction. Try to head for lights and
people.
- Don’t stop to give directions to driver or pedestrian.
- If you think you being followed, DO NOT go home. Head immediately for the nearest lighted area where there are
people.
- Don’t hitchhike or accept a ride from a stranger.
- Wear clothing and footwear that gives ease and freedom of movement if you plan to go walking.
AFTER AN ASSAULT
Your immediate concerns should be your physical safety and proper medical attention. Help is available. Report the
crime to law enforcement immediately. Law enforcement officer’s sensitivity to this trauma has improved greatly over
the years, and so have the investigative procedures necessary for conviction of the suspect. If you do not want to
call the law enforcement, at least contact a crisis counselor or physician immediately. These individuals can offer
you objective professional advice to help you decide how to proceed.
- At first, prosecution may be the last thing on your mind, but after your immediate needs have been met, you
may want to assist in the apprehension of the suspect. Be sure you don’t destroy any valuable physical evidence.
Unfortunately, most of this evidence will be on and in your body, so waiting for evidence collection will be
especially difficult for you.
- DON’T douche, shower, change your clothes or disturb the crime scene, even though that may be your initial
impulse.
- Procedures differ among hospitals. Generally, the victim will be asked name, date of birth, brief medical
history and perhaps some other general questions.
- If necessary, a complete internal examination will also be performed by qualified medical personnel. This is
to establish the extent of any injuries as well as to collect any evidence should you decide to prosecute.
- You will be asked details of the assault that might elicit very painful emotions. These are necessary to
establish all the facts of the case.
- Should you decide to pursue prosecution, the state attorney’s office will handle it, Prosecution is usually a
long and complicated process. As a victim, you will be a witness for the state and do not have to hire an attorney.
- Remember that you are not on trial - the defendant is. Most assailants are repeat offenders. Your decision to
prosecute may save others from suffering the painful emotional consequences of rape.
- Above all, remember you are the victim of this crime and there are a great many people who are sensitive to
your needs and able to help you.
DATE RAPE
People often think of the rapist as a stranger waiting in an alley. However, the sad fact is that someone the woman
knows commits most rapes, nearly 70%. The assailant could be a classmate, co-worker, boss, ex-partner, family member,
or neighbor. Becoming a teenager provides you with many opportunities to prove how responsible you are. One of these
opportunities is the chance to date members of the opposite sex. Yet, in many date situations, teenagers reluctantly
allow someone to invade their body space without actually giving consent. The date becomes too sexual, and the
unwilling partner, who is afraid to say no, gives in when they are subject to constant verbal coercion.
Communicate clearly - The "rules' of sex and dating are filled with unspoken expectations. Speak up! Don’t let
a man assume you’re going to go to bed with him. Even if you’ve had sex with him before, that doesn’t mean you must
have sex with him again.
Poor communication - The potential for date rape exists when two people do no have a clear understanding of
each other’s sexual intentions and expectations.
Mixed messages - Date rape can occur when a man, thinking a woman is "playing hard to get", believes she
really means "yes" when she says "no". Mixed messages may be communicated verbally (through what a person says) or
nonverbally (through body language).
Assert yourself - Insist on being treated with respect. Don’t be afraid to refuse an invitation or a gift.
Always keep in mind that no one has the right to touch your body unless you want them to.
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