The Red Zone refers to the time period between the beginning of fall semester and Thanksgiving break, when college students are most likely to experience sexual assault. In the middle of this zone sits Halloween, which risks are only heightened by alcohol, costumes, and large parties. During the weeks leading up to the spooktacular holiday, it’s important to keep these statistic in mind and fully understand the resources offered at your university to support victims of sexual assault.
Whether your drinking at a Halloween or abstaining from alcohol, you should be aware that it plays a large role in non-consensual encounters, particularly at large gatherings where the aggressor is 33% more likely to be intoxicated and over 50% of sexual assault incidents involve at least one inebriated member. It decrease the chance of becoming victim to or witnessing sexual assault during the year’s festivities, remember to look out for questionable behavior from strangers, acquaintances, and friends.
For young women celebrating Halloween, the threat of imminent danger is even more prevalent. In a study conducted by The Independent, 55% of men stated their belief in the fact that women are more likely to be sexually assaulted when wearing revealing clothing. This pairs with the idea that women often experience more unwanted sexual advances on Halloween and struggle to remove themselves from dangerous situations.
As a bystander, it’s important to remember that you too play a role in the interruption and continuation of sexual assault occurrences. If you see something happening to a friend or even a complete stranger, typically signaled by inebriated behavior, negative motions (pushing, kicking, or attempts at escape), be sure to use the 5D’s intervention guide: distract, delegate, delay, direct, and document. These actions will ensure that the victim is safely removed from the situation. To distract, consider physically placing yourself between the victim and perpetrator, making a loud noise, or spilling a drink. To delegate, find help from another individual like a friend, adult, or first responder. To delay, check in with the victim and ask them questions about the situation. To direct, point out that the perpetrator’s actions are inappropriate using specific and alarming language. To document, take notes, photos, or video evidence of the incident, only if someone has already intervened to help remove the victim.
As Halloween night and the approach, these tips just might keep you, a friend, or a stranger safe from danger. Stay safe and have fun on the most spooktacular night of the year!