By Paris Regan
In April, representatives with Texas Tech University’s Risk Intervention and Safety Education, RISE, program spoke with students about Sexual Assault Awareness month.
Texas Tech student Hadel Al-Mubiadin said she supports the organizations efforts as sexual assault is common and very serious.
“It is happening everywhere. Apparently, 3 out of 5 women have been sexually assaulted, whether it is verbal or physical,” Al-Mubiadin said.
Al-Mubiadin said hearing the representatives speak about sexual assault emotionally hurt her, making it hard for her to listen to the presentation.
“The people who have not been through it need to understand that being taken advantage of will scare that person for the rest of their lives,” Al-Mubiadin said.
Kaylee Green, a Texas Tech student who is familiar with RISE, said it was a good time to talk about the topic of sexual assault.
“Especially in college and with Greek life here, I think college is a good time for people to be aware and to learn about sexual assault,” Green said.
Green hopes after the RISE presentation, students will realize how serious sexual assault is and how the organization is bringing awareness to the Texas Tech community.
Kelsey Lueck, RISE’s violent prevention specialist, educates students and staff about knowing the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, and bystander intervention.
“You have a relationship with anybody you encounter,” Lueck said. “There are 10 red flags and 10 greens flags. We teach what those look like and the intensity of the certain flags.”
Lueck said people start romantic relationships in college and certain things in the relationship may start to get too intense, too quickly.
“In all these types of conversations, our office will never shame anybody about what they are going through, and we just want people to understand the why,” Lueck said.
Lueck explained how there are different types of sexual assault. When people think of sexual assault, they often think of super intense penetration; however, she said It can be something like sharing someone else’s nude photographs or videos without their consent or touching someone inappropriately.
“The best thing I tell people is if you feel like you have to walk on egg shells, or you are unsure of where this relationship might go, then you need to have a conversation with that person or someone in life that you really trust,” Lueck said.
Lueck said being sexually assaulted has nothing to do with anyone’s gender or age as there are also cases of same-sex sexual assault.
“Sexual assault is not just sex itself,” Lueck said. “It is about control and understanding that sex is just the vessel of a crime.”
Lueck explained how some people do not understand the amount of respect one deserves, which is part of having a healthy relationship.
“Your partner’s problems are not your problems,” Lueck said. “As a human, the best we can do is be passionate and vulnerable.”
For more information, visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center website or the RISE website.
The Crisis HelpLine is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A licensed counselor through the CrisisHelpLine may be reached 742-5555.
For immediate help, do not hesitate to call 911.
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