A lot of attention has been focused on the attempted sexual assaults on the Penn State University Park campus and in downtown State College during the first month of classes this semester, but they are only the tip of the iceberg, according to Peg Lorah, director of the Penn State Center for Women Students.
"The stranger assaults are anomalies. They're happening, and they're horrible, but that's not where the main danger lies for most Penn State students," Lorah said.
Lorah is talking about acquaintance assault, which is a much more common form of this crime.
"That doesn't minimize the stranger assaults," Lorah emphasized. "We need to do something about them as well, but we need to be aware of the assaults that happen on a daily basis that nobody talks about because they're not public and they're not high profile."
Stranger assaults are easier to speak out against, Lorah said.
"It's like the attack on the World Trade Center. We can marshal our anger around that because it was completely unwarranted. Those people were minding their own business, doing their jobs or sitting on an airplane, and along came somebody and put an end to their lives.
"It's the same with stranger assaults. The victim was minding her own business, and the perpetrator singled her out and attacked."
What people don't understand, according to Lorah, is that the same thing happens with acquaintance assaults. The only difference is that the perpetrator targets his victim not by jumping out from behind a bush, but by lulling her into a false sense of security.
"It's important to remember, however, that sexual assaults — whether by a stranger or an acquaintance, are never the victim's fault. The assailant is the only person responsible for them."
Like any other criminals, sexual assault predators commit crimes of opportunity and seek out unaware or unsuspecting people as their victims. Sexual assaults can take place under many different conditions, but there are some common aspects to many of those that have occurred in this and other university communities. In many of these types of incidents, the victim often at least nominally knows her attacker. In addition, alcohol often, although not always, is a factor in the assault.
There are measures that faculty, staff and students can take to reduce the criminal's opportunity to commit his crime.
— Don't walk alone at night. If a friend is not available, call the Escort Service at (814) 865-WALK.
— Walk confidently. Don't wear headphones while walking or jogging after dusk.
— Use the "buddy system" when going to a party and be aware of surroundings, especially at parties.
— Limit alcohol consumption. Being intoxicated increases vulnerability to all types of crime.
— Don't accept open drinks from anyone, and don't leave open drinks unattended. This will protect against someone adding another substance (such as a date-rape drug) to the drink.
— Avoid being in a vulnerable situation with a stranger, or a recent acquaintance.
— Discuss boundaries and limits about sex with dating partners.
— Always give and get consent.
— Lock residence hall and apartment doors and cooperate with residence hall security measures. Don't allow anyone to "piggyback" his or her way into a residence hall.
Penn State University Police and the State College Borough Police Department take both types of assaults very seriously. In the case of the stranger assaults, they have increased uniformed, auxiliary and plain-clothes patrols.
"Two of the incidents took place on campus, and two were in downtown State College, so we're working very closely with the State College Borough Police Department on these cases," said Stephen Shelow, deputy director of Police Services at Penn State. "We're treating these as if they may be related, inasmuch as the suspect description, vague as it is, is relatively consistent."
Only one victim saw her attacker's face, but University Police were able to produce a composite drawing based on her description.
"The composite has generated some calls, and we're hopeful that additional information will come in to us," Shelow said. Anyone with information about any of the attacks should call Penn State University Police at (814) 863-1111, or call 911.
Police are working closely with the Office of Physical Plant and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at the University to address environmental issues that may help to reduce criminal opportunity.
"We're looking at lighting and shrubbery in some areas of campus," Shelow said. "The Office of Physical Plant already has cut back some shrubbery near walkways to make it more difficult for someone to hide in those areas."
Penn State has an official policy statement on sexual assault and abuse in the Code of Conduct, which specifies that "The Pennsylvania State University will not tolerate sexual assault or abuse, such as rape (including acquaintance rape) or other forms of non-consensual sexual activity. These acts degrade the victims, our campus community and society in general. While the University cannot control all the factors in society that lead to sexual assault and abuse, the University strives to create an environment that is free of acts of violence." Violations of the policy are subject to disciplinary proceedings through Judicial Affairs.
The Center for Women Students, in conjunction with the University Police and RAD Systems, offers a self-defense course for all currently enrolled women students. The next course will be offered later this semester. For more information, call the Center for Women Students at (814) 863-2027.
Other programs offered through the Center for Women Students include PHREE (Peers Helping Reaffirm, Educate and Empower). This is a student-facilitated educational program designed to educate and promote awareness about some of the most critical issues facing college students, including sexual assault. For information about this or other Center for Women Students resources, check the Web at http://www.sa.psu.edu/cws/
Each year, the FTCAP program for incoming freshmen includes information about sexual assault, consent and Penn State resources for victims of sexual violence. This information is outlined on the Web at http://www.sa.psu.edu/cws/images/wearepennstate/overheads.html
If an attack does occur, the University offers victims a wide variety of resources. For details, check the Web at http://live.psu.edu/story/2679