The Office of Student Conduct presented “What Brothers Don’t Know,” a relationship seminar in the MSC student lounge Wednesday. Led by Ms. Renee Gillespy, director of the Women’s Shelter of Houston, the seminar informed students of the truths and myths of sexual assault and their presence in a seemingly functional relationship.
The seminar began with a brief definition of sexual assault: “a crime that occurs when you are forced, threatened or manipulated into sexual contact against your will.”
A presentation of statistics showed that 89 percent of sexual assault victims are female, 92,700 men are sexually assaulted each year in the United States and 80-90 percent of all sexual assaults involve alcohol or other controlled substances.
Experimentation with drugs and alcohol by 25 percent of all college students leads to poor judgment and is one of the top causes of rape on college campuses.
“Because of this, any sexual encounters should not be pursued under the influence,” said Gillespy.
The director went on to expose commonly known myths about sexual violence. She explained that sexual violence does not happen only to females nor only in the form of rape.
Pinching someone’s behind, making demeaning comments or telling sexual jokes about someone are all forms of sexual violence.
She also busted the myth that most sexual assaults take place between strangers and explained that over 75 percent of all rapes and sexual assaults are committed by acquaintances of the victim.