This information can help you as a young person keep yourself safe. One of the most powerful things you can do to protect yourself from being sexually violated is to be armed with knowledge:about who sexual offenders really are about where sexual violence usually happens about how to reduce the risk when in a dangerous situation The information below contains some basic guidelines about how to reduce the risk of sexual assault. You may also find the information on the Rape Prevention Education statistics page helpful in building up your awareness about rape and sexual abuse.
REDUCING THE RISK OF DATE RAPE
Date rape happens when two people are going out together (or dating) and one person has sex with the other person without getting their consent. The couple may have been together for several months or years, or may have just got together at a party.
Date rape is very common for young people aged between 14 and 25. In many cases of date rape, either one or both people involved have been using alcohol or drugs beforehand. Using these substances can often affect your ability to communicate what you want and don't want to do.
Things you can do to reduce the risk of date rape include:
- Working out what your sexual boundaries are. Tell your partner(s) what they are. Don't apologise or feel guilty for setting limits on how far you'll go sexually.
- If you change your mind about how far you want to go with someone, let them know. Be vocal and insistent. Your decision should be respected.
- Learning how to refuse sex when you don't want it. Find a way that feels comfortable for you. The important thing is that you convey the message that you do not want to have sex in a clear and unambiguous way.
- If things start getting aggro, walk away. Your personal physical and emotional safety is the most important thing. For more information about date rape, see the 'Date Rape' pamphlet on the Resources page.
REDUCING THE RISK OF DRUG RAPE
Things you can do to reduce the risk of drug rape include:
- taking your own drinks to parties
- rinking out of bottles instead of glasses - they're harder to spike
- going out with friends and staying together
- having a safety plan in place (e.g. how to get home in an emergency, what to do if someone in your group wants to go off with someone else)
- if you're going to use recreational drugs, make sure you only get drugs off someone you trust, always make sure you know what you're taking.
If you would like to find out more about drug rape, check out our Drug Rape page, or download a pamphlet on drug rape from the Resources page.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE AT RISK
If you're in a situation in which you think you may be raped or sexually abused, it is not too late to protect yourself. Listen to your instinct, or 'inner voice': it tells you when something is feeling wrong or uncomfortable. If you feel that your instinct is telling you to do something to keep yourself safe, do it. Don't be afraid of kicking up a fuss or hurting someone's feelings - your safety is the most important thing. One of the most powerful things you can do if you're in a situation that doesn't feel safe is to be loud and vocal. Clearly communicate what you want and don't want to happen.
For example,
- "I don't want to have sex with you. You don't have my consent."
You should never blame yourself for what your instinct tells you to do. Everyone reacts differently when in shock or under pressure. What your instinct tells you will depend on you as an individual and on the situation you are in. The important thing is to remember that you did the best you could in a very difficult situation. The fact that you survived it shows that you did the right thing at the time.