Sexual assault can happen in everyday situations. A good
defense? Be aware and use common sense.
For many women, the day passes without worry about whether they’ll be the next victims of sexual assault. But sexual predators are out there, and there are a few things women can do to protect themselves.
As most women know, being alone in an unfamiliar, dimly lit area can be dangerous. In other situations, though – situations usually not thought of as questionable – sexual predators sometimes more carefully calculate their attacks.
For example, an attacker might place a tape of a baby crying right outside a woman’s door. Assuming the woman will believe the tape actually is an abandoned baby, the assailant waits for her to open then door, then attacks.
Or, an attacker will come to a woman’s door – sometimes in broad daylight – pretending to be a salesperson. He’ll ask to come inside the house to demonstrate products, and once inside, will attack.
Although such assault scams might not be common in the South Valley, they are out there, said Capt. Richard Vasquez with the Hollister Police Department.
“You need to be aware of anything that seems suspicious. A lot of it is common sense. People just need to be smart,” he said.
According to Vasquez, 25 reports of rape in Hollister were filed between June of last year and June of this year, compared to 10 reports in 2003 and 15 in 2002. In Gilroy, 13 reports of rape were filed between June of last year and last month, compared to 14 reports in 2003 and 25 reports in 2002, according to Phyllis Ward, crime analyst for the Gilroy Police Department. The rape reports cover random assault, date rape and domestic rape.
According to the United States Department of Justice, an estimated 91 percent of victims of rape and sexual assault are female. One of the best defenses women have in guarding themselves against attacks is not pepper spray or combat skills but their own gut instincts, said Rosa Quiñones, a detective with the Gilroy Police Department.
“A lot of women say they have an inner voice telling them something doesn’t look or feel right,” Quiñones said. “Listen to that inner voice, because it’s probably right.”
A handful of sexual assault reports filed in Gilroy in the past year involved parties where alcohol was served and consumed excessively, Quiñones said, which can lead to increased aggression on the part of the attacker and impaired judgment on the part of the victim.
Additionally, when dozens of nearly identical cups and bottles of alcohol are circulating in the same room – as is the case at many parties – an attacker has several opportunities to pour so-called date-rape drugs into drinks. Once ingested, the drugs – which often have no color, taste or smell – can cause drowsiness, hallucinations and nausea, or they can make people feel very relaxed and averse to struggle.
Like alcohol, drugs that are consumed intentionally can cloud judgment and make people feel more at ease than they should in an unfamiliar surrounding, Quiñones said. When judgment is impaired, people are more likely to get in a car with a person they don’t know or stay at the house of someone who is unfamiliar to them.
People also might be quicker to give out personal information such as a home address, which makes it easier for an attacker to strike in the future.
“When you’re at a party, stay with people you trust,” Quiñones said. “If something makes you feel uncomfortable, be very firm when you say no. Don’t leave with strangers, and always be aware of your surroundings. Know who you’re with. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t hesitate to react.”
Here are some other tips from local police to keep safe from a sexual attack.
n Always be on guard. Attackers look for women who appear to be unaware or unable to defend themselves. Being on guard doesn’t mean you have to keep one hand on your pepper spray at all times; rather, it means maintaining a general sense of possible dangers around you.
n If you’re driving and think you’re being followed, call 911, or drive to a police station or a safe place where you can call the police. Do not drive home or pull off to the side of the road.
n If you are attacked, file a report as soon as you can. If you were raped, call a family member or friend you trust and go to a hospital’s emergency room to be examined, treated for injuries and screened for sexually transmitted diseases.
Do not destroy any physical evidence, such as the clothes you were wearing when you were attacked, as the doctor can collect evidence of fibers, hairs, saliva, semen or blood the attacker might have left behind. Also, don’t take a shower before going to the emergency room, as the same evidence could be present on your body.
n If you need counseling, call a sexual-assault support center such as the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-HOPE (4673). Morgan Hill-based Community Solutions, a human-services agency, also offers support for victims of sexual assault in Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Call (408) 842-7138 or (831) 637-1094. The organization also offers a 24-hour rape-crisis hotline at (408) 779-2115.
