Sexual assault in colleges and universities has become a major topic of discussion over the years as awareness of consent has continued to become more prominent. As such, Elizabethtown College has made its goal to educate students about the damaging effects of rape and assault, as well as the meaning of consent, in order to make the campus as safe as it can be.

Etown Student Wellness recently held an event devoted to protection against sexual assault, called, Don’t Get Sensual Unless it’s Consensual. This event was first held Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 5-7 pm, and again Friday, Sept. 4 from 11-1 pm. During the times specified, members of Student Wellness set up a game table on the patio outside of the Brossman Commons. Those who spun Wellness’s number wheel and answered a sexual assault question correctly received a T-shirt with the name of the event printed on it.

The event attracted enough attention and received enough players during the first evening that the members of Student Wellness working the table ran out of T-shirts before the end. Instead, they gave out Student Wellness Frisbees for the rest of the time allotted.

The Don’t Get Sensual Unless it’s Consensual event was meant to be more than just a game, but also a learning experience for those who chose to attend. The questions asked in the game were aimed toward teaching students how to act during a situation in which they or someone they know may be in danger of sexual assault. Having awareness is only the first step, for one must also know what steps to take toward prevention and intervention.

“It’s really important for people to make the right decisions in these kinds of situations … it’s always best to be prepared,” Student Wellness employee Laura Jobe, a sophomore, says.

Her coworker, senior Alyssa McDermott, notes that it is easy to memorize all the rules and understand consent, but that there are many people who would not necessarily know how to handle the problem when it arises. Some students have the mindset of, “It couldn’t happen to me”; however, the reality is that anyone could be a victim or a perpetrator. Student Wellness events such as this one strive to make a difference so that people are not only aware of the danger and consequences of sexual assault, but know how to effectively avoid them, as well.

According to U.S. statistics, %15.5 coeds are sexually assaulted or victimized in some way. However, only five percent of assaults are reported to Campus Security or the police. While there is a nine out of ten probability that a victim will know his or her assailant, most sexual assaults occur while at least one party is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Because so many instances of sexual assault in colleges and universities occur while someone involved has been drinking or abusing other substances, it is imperative that college students fully understand the meaning of consent. Since a person’s judgment is clouded while under the influence, he or she is not fit to consent to sex after drinking alcohol. A person must be clear of mind and have an active voice while giving consent, without feeling pressured or threatened in a physical or emotional sense.

Commonly, students involved in a sexual assault have made poor choices under the influence of alcohol or drugs or due to lack of the knowledge and tools to protect themselves and others. It is for this reason that Student Wellness is active in its goal to help students make better choices, to be the friend who intervenes, to be the one who reports an incident, and to be the one who refuses the next drink. Training students how to prepare themselves to help prevent rape and sexual assault is important for benefitting the futures of all Etown residents and working toward a safer community. The Don’t Get Sensual Unless it’s Consensual event managed to promote awareness and teach students how to properly handle sexual assault while making an otherwise unpleasant topic into something fun.

Free STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) testing will be available by Student Wellness in the month of October. For more information on rape prevention and sexual assault, students can visit the WELL in the Brossman Commons 248 or call (717) 361-1501.

-Amanda Jobes