Protecting yourself
Fargo Police offer tips for rape prevention
Between 20 and 25 percent of female college students have either been raped or experienced an attempted rape, according to a 2000 survey.
As part of a presentation at NDSU by the Fargo Police Department, Sergeant Jeff Skuza offered tips for women to protect themselves.
Skuza said in the majority of reported sexual assault cases, either the victim or the perpetrator had consumed alcohol.
In many of the cases, the victim insisted she was drugged, but no documented cases in Fargo had any evidence that date rape drugs had actually been used.
Most of the cases in which the victim believed she had been drugged the victim’s blood alcohol level was very high.
The suspect insisted that any sexual activity that took place was consensual. The victim did not recall.
Skuza also said that rapes by complete strangers are rare. Usually the victim is at least casually acquainted with the perpetrator.
“I’m not into blaming the victim,” Skuza said. “But there are things you can do to protect yourself.”
Because many rapes take place when a female is alone with several males, women should use a buddy system, both at parties and in everyday life.
At parties, friends should look out for each other and know where the others are.
In everyday life, it is always wise to tell at least one friend or roommate where you will be and when he or she can expect you to return.
It is also a good idea to avoid any distractions when in an isolated area.
Skuza pointed out that Dru Sjodin was talking on her cell phone while going to her car in a dark parking lot when she was abducted.
Cell phones are a distraction in situations in which a person should be paying close attention to his or her surroundings.
One thing Skuza really stressed in his presentation was to drink only in moderation.
“People don’t know how much is too much,” Skuza said.
In 22 percent of the cases in January through November 2006, the victim was too intoxicated to remember what happened, which hinders the investigation process.
Skuza said people should know not to get into a car if someone trying to attack them.
A better alternative is to run away, because moving targets are harder to hit, Skuza said. Also, police will have an easier time finding the person being attacked. While many people believe that carrying pepper spray or knowing a martial art will protect them from an assault, Skuza said that personal alarms work better.
Pepper spray could blow back in the user’s face on a windy day, and, “Your average street fighter can take out a martial arts fighter,” Skuza said.
The alarms, which look like pagers or MP3 players, emit a loud sound when set off and attract attention to the situation, which often causes the perpetrator to leave the victim alone. The alarms cost between $6 and $10.
In the event of a sexual assault, the victim should report it immediately.