Illustration by RACHEL REILICH/Daily Bruin
By Lisa Klassen
Daily Bruin Contributor UCLA students and staff are taking extra
measures to protect themselves after two sexual assaults last week
in Schoenberg and Boelter Halls. Some students said the recent
attacks raise doubts about campus security and individual student
safety. “The way that UCLA is structured allows for easy
access to the campus,” said Stefanie Wong, a first-year
undeclared student. “We live so close to an urban area that
it’s easy for people to just come on campus and commit a
crime.” Dana Mendez, a first-year student, said that she no
longer feels comfortable walking to her evening class in Schoenberg
Hall. “Ever since the attack, I haven’t felt safe
walking over there. And I’m definitely not going into the
bathroom,” said Mendez.
UCLA officials provide extra security The unusual nature of the
attacks led to an increase in campus patrols, said Robert Sadeh, a
University Police Department crime prevention officer during a
sexual assault awareness presentation Tuesday in Covel Commons.
“This case is very unusual,” Sadeh said. “The
suspect committed the same crime on the same night and in the same
setting. It was obviously a planned action.” UCLA police do
not believe this attack is related to earlier groping incidents or
the attack that occurred in November, said Sadeh. Like the police
department, the Community Service Officers have increased their
campus patrols. There has been a noticeable increase in escort
requests since the attacks, said Scott Scheffler, a CSO escort
supervisor. Usually, CSOs receives 30 to 40 calls per night.
Recently, the number of calls increased to 60 and 70. This, said
Scheffler, is a sign that people are more concerned about their
safety. Many students such as Sherry Reddit, a fourth-year
communications student, use the services that the CSOs provide.
“I’ve been using the CSOs lately,” she said.
“Especially since the attacks.”
Tips on preventing a sexual attack According to Sadeh, there are
steps students can take to avoid the possibility of being attacked.
“There is no reason why you should be walking alone at
night,” Sadeh said. “Always walk with somebody. If
there’s no one around, call 794-WALK for an escort.”
Sadeh also suggests utilizing the buddy system while using the rest
room. “Don’t go in there alone,” he said.
“Have someone come in with you and wait. Check out all of the
stalls. Look underneath and push the doors open. If it
doesn’t feel right, leave. Always trust your
instincts.” Students should also be careful while inside the
dorms, warned Karen Minero, a senior counselor for The Center for
Women and Men. “Don’t defeat security,” Minero
said. “Don’t let strangers into the dorms if they
don’t have a card. And don’t point people out to
strangers.” Remain calm when faced with an attacker,
suggested Marybeth Roden, assistant director of the Rape Treatment
Center at the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center. “Remember
that your chances of survival are good. Assess the situation and
think through your options,” Roden said. According to Roden
and Sadeh, strategies such as yelling and making noise can deter an
assailant. “That person doesn’t like noise,” said
Sadeh. “It brings them attention that they don’t
want.” If yelling does not work, try something else.
“There’s no one magic formula for preventing an
attack,” said Roden. “You have to think about the way
you react to a situation and the way the attacker is responding.
Roden suggested using verbal assertiveness and force if necessary.
These techniques can give victims time to escape, she said. But
some victims can be afraid to fight back, said Sadeh. “If you
are attacked you must remember that nothing is out of bounds. If a
person tries to hurt you, hurt them back,” he said. Victims
can fight back by scratching an assailant’s eyes and face and
using object such as keys and pens as weapons. If you decide to
fight, Sadeh said, you should only use the fight as a distraction
to allow for escape.
Date rape: a college trend According to national statistics, 84
percent of rape victims know their attacker. This, said Sadeh, is
consistent with the rise in date rape on college campuses.
Preventing date rape is all about knowing what is going on around
you, said Minero. “Be aware of your surroundings, which
includes having your senses about you and being aware of how much
alcohol and drugs you consume,” she said. In a party
situation, the buddy system can also help prevent an attack.
“When you and your friends go out, have one person be the
designated watcher,” Minero said. “Have this person
remain sober and watch over the others, so if anything happens they
can intervene.” She also advises students to keep an eye in
their drinks and, if possible, to pour their own drinks.
“People aren’t aware that drugs can be put into your
drink without you even knowing,” Minero said. Easily
purchased “˜date rape’ drugs such as GHB, can
incapacitate a person within minutes, leaving them vulnerable to a
sexual attack. “These drugs make your memory blur,”
said Sadeh. “I’ve seen people who wake up naked and the
last thing that they remember is drinking at a party the night
before.” Drugs, however, are not the only cause of date rape.
According to Sadeh, date rape usually occurs after a man has taken
a woman out and then expects sexual favors in return. These types
of incidents are common and are usually planned. “There is
the whole issue of trust,” said Sadeh. “The woman
trusts the man, so she agrees to go to his apartment. Sometimes the
woman may not even say anything, but the action is still a crime.
Date rape is like any other crime. There’s the same
intimidation and fear.” In these cases men are sometimes
confused, thinking that a woman’s silence may be a sign that
nothing is wrong, said Sadeh. He advises men to ask a woman if she
is comfortable with what he is doing. “And no always means
no,” said Sadeh.
If you have been attacked “After an attack, or even if you
escape, find a safe place and contact a supportive friend or family
member,” said Roden. “Go to a hospital. You may have
injuries that you are not aware of.” After an attack or an
attempted attack, the police should be contacted, even if the
victim feels it is not necessary. Contacting the police alerts them
to danger and allows them to warn others, said Roden. If the victim
does not want to speak with police, a friend or family member
should call on their behalf. It is also important for victims to be
informed about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and
pregnancy. The Rape Treatment Center, a part of the Santa
Monica-UCLA Medical Center offers assistance to rape victims,
victims of sexual assaults, and their families. This unique
service, one of the few rape treatment centers in the country,
offers 24-hour medical care, crisis intervention and psychological
services, as well as legal assistance and evidence collection to
victims, all free of charge. According to Roden, the Rape Treatment
Center offers a calming atmosphere to victims, unlike stressful
hospital emergency rooms. “No one should have to go through
this alone,” said Roden. “We can give you information
about who to talk to and what to do. There are people here who will
understand and believe you. They will help you determine who to
tell and how to cope.”
Campus programs offer support for victims Unbeknownst to many,
there is a multitude of services available to students who have
been the victim of a sexual attack. Minero said few people take
advantage of the resources available on campus. “The Center
for Women and Men offers free, drop-in counseling services as well
as rape services consultants who can talk to you about what you can
do after an attack,” Minero said. UCLA also offers free and
confidential drop in counseling through a program called Student
Psychological Services. SPS is open Monday through Friday, from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. and has two offices on campus. The Center for Women
and Men also offers empowerment and self-defense classes to
students. The four-hour classes are held on Saturdays and are
taught by certified instructors and sponsored by the UCLA Police
Department. “These programs are informative and can be very
helpful,” said Minero. “During the classes, instructors
from the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults on Women teach you how
to avoid attacks before they happen and before they get
violent.” Another program for survivors of sexual violence
and their friends and families is the Clothesline Project. Minero
explained this program as “a way for survivors to heal and
recover” from sexual violence. “Every year, survivors
make shirts that document their experiences that are displayed in
the Schoenberg quad,” Minero said. “On the final night
that the shirts are displayed, members of the group participate in
an activity called Take Back The Night where survivors march from
Westwood to Schoenberg Hall then give speeches and speak out about
sexual violence.”
Where You Can Get Help
Here are places that can help people who have been raped or
sexually assaulted
Original by JACOB LIAO/Daily Bruin Campus
Safety
In an informal poll conducted this week, the majority of
students said they feel safe on campus.
SOURCE: Daily Bruin Poll
Original by MAGGIE WOO/Daily Bruin Web Adaptation by MIKE
OUYANG/Daily Bruin