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But
She Said Yes
by James Chow, Staff Writer/Photographer
It's Saturday night some friends are getting drunk.
They play quarters, card games, beer pong and down shot after shot.
After hours of dancing and flirting, guys and girls pair off into
rooms to be alone... The next morning a couple awakens, feeling
awkward. Each leaves to go their separate ways. When the guy returns
home he sees a group of cops waiting at the house. He has been
accused of rape!
Rape: the act of forcing penetrative sexual; acts,
against another's will through violence. But was there anything
violent within the above passage? Did he truly force himself onto
his so called victim? Date rape is also vaguely defined as the
inability to say NO. This can be due to intoxication.
Date rape often occurs at social events where alcohol
and other drinks are present. In many cases, the female becomes
intoxicated by consumption of alcohol or drugs and her judgment
compromised. Many times it happens when a group of college girls go
to a frat party, drink and dance with the boys, and half the girls
fall victim to date rape. But can the boys be blamed? A group of
scantily clad women in their 20s getting drunk in at a party where
the men outnumber them 2:1 is a dangerous place for girls to be. But
others, like junior Sophia Manouchehry disagree, saying "date rape
is wrong." But alcohol is not the only culprit. Sometimes men
provide women with drinks contaminated with "date rape drugs" such
as gamma hydroxybutyric acid, Rohypnol and Ketamine. All of which
are all as easily administrated as dumping alka-seltzer in a cup of
water. Worst of all, they are all tasteless, colorless and odorless,
and all immobilize the target making them vulnerable to sexual
assault.
Now say you really had no idea a girl was intoxicated
and that she truly appeared to be a willing partner, what then? The
reality is that you could still be charged with rape if she is able
to prove she was drunk or high. Many say that you should not take
advantage of an intoxicated woman, but some blame the woman for not
taking responsibility, "I think that it is the girl's own fault to
put herself into that vulnerable position," says junior Tina
Khojastehsar.
Divided are the opinions of many. The morality of
these incidents centers on the trust you bestow on the people that
are around you, "Date rape is worse than any other kind of rape
because you already know that person and trust them as friend," said
senior Kim Ip. But all agree that it is something that would suck if
it happened to them, "I'd be pretty upset" stated senior Daniel
Truax. Experts say the best way to keep yourself out of this mess is
to avoid the drinking and sex scene totally; and if you must make
sure the person your rolling in the hay with is fully aware of his
or her actions.
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