It is the responsibility of all of us to make sure our community is free from sexual misconduct.\u00a0The following strategies are provided to assist you in having healthy and safe sexual encounters and to avoid potentially unsafe and dangerous situations.<\/p>\n
If you find yourself in the position of being the initiator of sexual behavior, you owe sexual respect to your potential partner and yourself.\u00a0 These suggestions may help you avoid committing and\/or being accused of sexual misconduct:<\/p>\n
Clearly communicate your intentions to the other person and give them a chance to clearly communicate their intentions to you.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Listen carefully. Take time to hear what the other person has to say.\u00a0If you feel you are receiving unclear or conflicting messages from the other person, you should stop, defuse any sexual tension, and communicate better.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Do not assume that you have consent to sexual activity just because someone leaves or goes to a private location with you.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Understand and respect personal boundaries.\u00a0 Do not pressure a potential partner.\u00a0Do not fall for the clich\u00e9:\u00a0If they say \u201cno\u201d, they really mean \u201cyes.\u201d\u00a0 If the other person says \u201cno\u201d to sexual activity, believe them and stop.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Don\u2019t make assumptions about consent; about someone\u2019s sexual availability; about whether they are attracted to you; about how far you can go; or about whether they are physically and\/or mentally able to consent. If there are any questions or ambiguity then you DO NOT have consent and you should stop and communicate.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Don\u2019t take advantage of someone\u2019s drunken, drugged, or otherwise incapacitated state.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Realize that your potential partner could be intimidated by you, or fearful. You may have a power advantage simply because of your gender, status, or size. Don\u2019t abuse that power.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Understand that consent to one form of sexual activity does not constitute consent for any other sexual activity.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Silence and passivity cannot be interpreted as an indication of consent.\u00a0Read the other person carefully, paying attention to verbal and non\u2010verbal communication and body language.\u00a0If it is not clear by the other person\u2019s words and\/or actions that they are a willing participant in that specific activity then you need to stop.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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It is never your fault if someone takes sexual advantage of you. Below are a few harm reduction strategies.\u00a0These strategies are provided with no intention to victim\u2010blame and with recognition that only those who commit sexual violence are responsible for such conduct.<\/p>\n
Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe about a person or situation, trust your gut and remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Be aware of your alcohol intake and\/or other drug use. Be aware that alcohol and\/or drug use can\u00a0make you vulnerable to someone who views a drunk or high person as a sexual opportunity.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Don\u2019t leave your drink unattended and don\u2019t accept drinks from someone you don\u2019t know or trust.\u00a0If you\u2019ve left your drink alone, just get a new one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
If you do not want to engage in a particular activity, tell the other person \u201cNO\u201d clearly and firmly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Watch out for your friends and ask that they do so for you.\u00a0A real friend will step in and challenge you if they see you are in a potentially dangerous situation. Respect them when they do.\u00a0If a friend seems out of it, is too intoxicated, or is acting out of character, get your friend to a safe place immediately.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Don\u2019t go somewhere with someone you don\u2019t know well.\u00a0If you do leave a party with a new friend, tell the friends you came with where you are going and when you are coming back.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
It is the responsibility of all of us to make sure our community is free from sexual misconduct.\u00a0The following strategies are provided to assist you in having healthy and safe sexual encounters and to avoid potentially unsafe and dangerous situations. How to Avoid Committing Sexual Misconduct If you find yourself in the position of being […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"parent":612,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-538","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n