How To Prevent Sexual Assault

Let’s be honest, no one wants to talk about sexual assault. It’s ugly, and we’re uncomfortable with talking about it, so we try our best to pretend like it doesn’t exist. The problem is, if we don’t talk about it, how are we going to ever prevent it from happening?

We have to talk about it, because it’s not just going to stop happening over night. Many people would classify sexual assault as a man on a woman, but it happens to men, children, and people with disabilities.

There is first degree sexual assault which is when the victim is at under 13 years of age, and the defendant is at least four years older than the victim. If a person is forced against their will to have sexual intercourse, and/or if the defendant injures the victim, this is first degree sexual assault.

The second degree of sexual assault is defined by if a victim is mentally incompetent, physically helpless and the defendant knows about it, this is classified a second degree sexual assault.

Now that we know exactly what sexual assault is, how do we prevent it from happening? Here are a few ways we can better protect ourselves from being sexually assaulted:

Take Self-Defense Classes

It’s easier (presumably) to avoid being sexually assaulted when we’re with a group of people, but eventually we will find ourselves out in public alone, or with a person who could potentially sexually assault us, and in such cases it would be handy to have at least some knowledge of self-defense.

Carry A Concealed Weapon

Whether you’re pro or anti firearms, it’s always a good idea to look into the concealed carry laws of your state. It’s okay not to like guns, it’s okay if you decide to never shoot it, but having one with you when you’re alone can make you feel a lot safer.

Carry Mace

If weapons aren’t your thing, Mace is slightly less lethal. No one would know that you’d have it, as they’re easily hidden, and you can get to it quickly.

Pretend To Be On The Phone

When you’re alone and if you feel uneasy, pretend to be on the phone until you get where you’re going. Most assailants would more than likely steer clear of someone on the phone, as it’s too easy for them to be heard, and eventually caught.

Whatever the method you choose, please stay protected at all times. Don’t live a life of fear, stay in control of the situations you put yourself in. If you do get sexually assaulted at any point though, remember: It’s not your fault, there is support, and you are so so loved.

Melanie is just an ordinary girl, living an extraordinary life. She has Spina Bifida, which caused her to be born paralyzed from the waist down, she has had twenty-three surgeries, but she has never let that stop her from achieving her dreams. Melanie was a psychology major, before being forced to drop out due to medical issues, as devastating as that was, she picked herself back up and decided to pursue her dream of being an author, she is currently working on her first small book called “Befuddled Societies guide to Spina Bifida,” which will be out in a few weeks, hopefully. Melanie also suffers from anxiety and depression, and that’s the reason she wants to help others going through the same thing – because she knows how it feels to feel all alone.