NOVA, or Network of Victim Assistance, cleared up misconceptions about rape and consent at their sexual violence seminar at lower Bucks campus on Oct. 21.
Speaker Mary Beth Banerle started the seminar by asking, “Who here has had sexual violence training?” Only one person out of 30 raised their hand.
Sexual violence is defined as any unwanted act of sexual nature that is imposed on another person. If both parties are not consenting it is considered sexual assault. Contrary to popular belief, rape is not motivated by sexual desire. It is motivated by the need for power, control and to harm others.
Consent is defined as permission or agreement for something to happen. Consent cannot be obtained when an individual is under the age of 13, under the influence of a mind altering substance, or has intellectual disabilities.
Silence is not consent. You must receive an auditory “yes” in order to have consensual sex. The person is not playing hard to get, not teasing you, not asking for it. If they were “asking for it” they would have actually asked for it. If an individual says “no” just once then the other must stop or it is considered rape. Ignorance to this is not a defense in the U.S. judicial system.
683 thousand forcible rapes happen every year in the United States, and over 60 percent of these are unreported. Victims want to remain anonymous because of embarrassment and fear and because the victim is often blamed for the rape due to the way they dressed or acted. Victim blaming is so prominent because it’s “easier” than admitting it as an epidemic.
Acquaintance rape is the most common kind of rape. 80 to 90 percent of victims on college campuses know their attacker. Nearly three in five campus rapes happen where the victim lives.
Many female victims of stranger rape are wearing loose fitting clothing and are walking alone at night. Attackers look for victims with this description because it is easier to pull them aside and get their clothes off. In attempt to avoid this, try to walk in a group whenever possible.
Child molestation is another, related, issue that is at an all-time high. One in every four girls and one in every six boys are sexually assaulted in PA. Citizens Bank Park, which can hold 43 thousand people, can be filled 15 times with the amount of children sexually assaulted each year in the U.S.
NOVA overs help in the form of a hotline where victims of sexual abuse can call any time of day. People at NOVA strive to support their callers with an ear to listen or shoulder to cry on. NOVA is completely anonymous unless the caller specifies otherwise. Their hotline is free, confidential and accessible to all Bucks County residents.
For over 40 years NOVA has had a 24-hour support hotline. This hotline can be reached 1-800-675-6900.
The solution for rape should be for people to just not do it, but it’s better to be proactive.