Guest Speaker, Rose Alvelais from No Means No

[Emily Ayoub]

Rose Alvelais came to our Latinitas Multimedia class to speak with us about sexual assault. She started No Means No after her daughter was attacked. It is funded by the Two Should Know Initiative Paso Del Norte Helath Foundation. She spoke with us and this is what I learned.

STATS from the El Paso area:
- Half of all sexual assault cases are drug and alcohol related.
-81% of the time the victim knows the offender
-70% of all sexual assault cases, the victim is between the ages of 13 and 18.
-1 out of 4 girls are raped 1 out of 6 boys are raped before the age of 18.
- There is a rape every 2 1/2 minutes.

What is Sexual Assault?
Sexual Assualt is the same thing as rape. It can be a rape if the victim does not consent to having sex, if the the victim is under the age of 17, or the victim cannot consent (the victim is unconscious). Sex is any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ or by any object. Can be very slight, but is still considered sex. Rape is not limited by gender, relationship between victim and offender, threatened method, or weapon used or orfice involved.

Aggravated Sexual Assault:
-serious bodily injury
-places the victim in fear
-exhibits a deadly weapon
-acts with others (this is gang rape)
-rohypnol used
-victim is 13 years or younger


If it happens to you:
-Go to safe place and call the police
-seek medical assistance
-rememberr the location
-do not destroy clothing
-do not bathe (bathing removed any DNA traces)
-remember the persons appearance so you can describe them later

REMEMBER
Sexual assault is never the victim's fault.
Having sex with anyone under the age of 17 IS A CRIME...even if both parties consent to have sex.