To observe sexual assault awareness month, the Women’s Resource Center on Wednesday presented “A Question of Consent,” a lecture on sexual consent and its impact on society.
The lecture was sponsored by UH’s Veteran’s Service Office and featured WRC director Beverly McPhail.
The presentation focused on the definition of sexual consent, the different types of consent and the role alcohol plays in sexual consent.
McPhail’s lecture is mostly geared toward men who may not be aware of the consequences of their actions, but also spoke to women as well.
“I’m concerned about men,” McPhail said. “I don’t want men to get themselves into a situation where they can become registered sex offenders, where they’re doing things they don’t realize are intrusive or non-consensual.”
The issue of sexual assault on college campuses has emerged as a problem for universities, where parties and alcohol have become synonymous with higher education.
According to the latest annual crime report from the University of Houston Department of Public Safety, in 2009 there were four forcible sexual offenses, of which three were committed in on-campus housing.
McPhail gives presentations around campus to fraternities, sororities and other groups to educate people about peer pressure and safety.
Since these groups generally host parties and get-togethers with alcohol, the line can be blurred when it comes to who consents to sex and if they are sober or not.
McPhail said the best way to avoid confusion is to get explicit verbal consent.
“The burden is going toward men to ask for consent and to get consent,” McPhail said.
“You can’t expect that just because a women is silent, that it means consent.”
Most rapes go unreported, with most victims afraid of being judged or vilified.
The Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, one of the largest rape support groups in the nation, publishes statistics on sexual assaults nationwide.
According to RAINN, someone is sexually assaulted every two minutes, and around two-thirds of offenders know their victims.
Each semester one or two victims of sexual assault comes to the WRC to seek help with how to cope.
McPhail says she lends an ear to all victims and refers them to area organizations like the Houston Area Women’s Center, which provides counseling and shelter to victims.
Political science senior Rori Calhoun felt the lecture provided useful information that she was unaware of before.
“I thought it was very informative,” Calhoun said. “I think men and women need to understand that they have to actually say yes or no in those types of situations.”
For more information, visit the WRC, which is located on the second floor of the University Center or visit its website at www.uh.edu/wrc/.
For more information on RAINN, visit www.rainn.org/.
