7. Confusion and clarification regarding “sexual assault”? What should I do when I encounter “sexual assault”?
Confusion and clarification regarding “sexual assault”?
（1） Victims of sexual assault are always assaulted by strangers? Of course not! Sexual harassment occurs due to the operation of power relationships, and likewise, sexual assault often occurs between people who know each other well. However, in scenarios of unequal power relationships, victims of sexual assault are often assaulted by people that they know well, which constitute a rather high percentage of sexual assault cases. One of the best-known scenarios of sexual assault, “date rape”, is one such example.
（2） Does rape occur because of uncontrollable sexual urge? Of course not! Sexual impulse cannot ever become an excuse for rape. “Sex” is not an uncontrollable urge. We know that many instances of rape are essentially premeditated, meaning that perpetrators did not commit crimes due to momentary impulse. Sexual urge is essentially an attempt to excuse rape! What to do in case of “sexual assault”?
Priority: attempt to escape and protect yourself
(1) Maintain calmness and find opportunities to escape Do your best to concentrate and find tools that you can protect yourself with or possible methods of escape. If you find any opportunity to escape, act immediately. For example, if you find someone passing by, scream for help. If you are trapped in a vehicle, try to press the horn to attract attention. If you are inside a building, try to produce an opportunity to escape into another room with a lockable door.
(2) Call for help repeatedly If you realize that someone intends to assault you, call loudly for help first. If you have determined that you are not likely to be violently attacked by the assaulter, then call loudly for help repeatedly. This is because most passersby need to hear your call for help several times before they realize that they are hearing legitimate calls for help as opposed to mere pranks. Furthermore, some assaulters simply wanted a target that succumb easily. If you persistently resist and call for help, an assaulter may give up due to the obstructions they encounter.
(3) Distract the assaulter To produce an opportunity to escape, you can negotiate with the assaulter to disrupt their original plans. For example, you can feign agreement to have sexual intercourse, but demand relocation to a more comfortable location; or you can hide an assaulter’s assault weapon; or you can ask an assaulter to take a shower or indicate that you want to take a shower, and thus hide in the bathroom.
(4) Discourage the assaulter Claim that you have sexually transmitted diseases, or feign hysteria, or force yourself to vomit or urinate into your clothes.
(5) Protect your body and life If escape is not possible, do not sacrifice your life during your efforts of resistance. Try to avoid actions that would cause large volumes of blood loss. Try to protect yourself and minimize harm to yourself. If possible, staying alive should be your top priority. (6) Retain evidence and apply for a gender equality incident investigation or indictment with the University: 1. Record in detail individuals (the perpetrator and other witnesses present), incidents (actions committed or words spoken by the perpetrator), time (detailed dates and times), locations (detailed physical locations or spaces), and objects (detailed items of evidence – such as secretions from the perpetrator; or avoid cleaning your body and seek medical attention first; or engage in voice or video recordings under legitimate and legal causes) involved in all relevant incidents to maximize evidence retention. 2. Communicate to your instructor or teaching assistant and report to the University’s campus security center (07-8034727). Bravely apply for an investigation or indictment with the University’s gender equality incident investigation or indictment window (located at the legal assistant office of the Secretariat’s Office in 7F of the University’s administrative building; ext. 1104). Depending on your personal willingness, you may also file charges at your local police department.