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Preventing Sexual Assault
Sexual assault must be one of the biggest fears for a parent of a teenage daughter. Make sure your teen is aware of the risks and knows what to do in case situations get scary.
Date rape, or rape by an acquaintance, might not include violence, but is still a heinous crime. Your teen must know it's ok to say no, to fight off a lecherous date, or even to use maiming or lethal force if necessary. She must know that her body is off-limits to anyone she does not want to touch it, and that she can make that fact known to others.
Drugs and alcohol often place a young lady at risk for sexual assault. While it may seem futile to tell your kid to not try drugs and alcohol, let her know the risks of being out of control.
Awareness is the best tool to prevent sexual assault. Train your daughter to be aware of her surroundings, of people she instinctively feels are dangerous, of fellow students who give her the "creeps." Ted Bundy lured coeds with a false plaster cast on his arm. At California State University-Hayward, a young musician was raped in a soundproof piano practice room. Your daughter should be aware of threats, perhaps using a color continuum, and know what to do if violence threatens.
Many colleges provide a Buddy system--a service provided by the campus police department that escorts students walking alone at night. If your daughter can't bring a trusted friend with her to late-night studying at the library, she should make use of such a service.
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