When it comes to sexual assault and our youth, local advocates say drinking goes hand-in-hand.
April is both Sexual Assault and Alcohol Awareness month. As we wrote last week, our county’s local agency, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, has a clear message: education is the number one way to prevent sexual violence.
The Orcas Island Prevention Partnership is sponsoring a community forum on April 21 to discuss these very issues: underage drinking and teen sexuality. The meeting will offer participants an opportunity to both highlight the nature and scope of local issues and to discuss and promote effective preventative strategies. Attendees can also fill out a short community assessment survey that asks questions about a broad range of specific prevention issues.
We urge parents to attend this meeting with their children.
We may not have the high crime rates of counties on the mainland, but we are absolutely not immune to domestic violence, sexual assault, and underage drug and alcohol use.
An average of one new sexual assault victim walks through the doors of DVSAS every week. A 2008 OIPP survey of Orcas youth found that 25 percent of eighth grade students reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, 15 percent of eighth grade students reported having five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks, 50 percent of 12th grade students reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, and 33 percent of 12th grade students reported having five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks.
These are high numbers.
The goal of the town hall meeting is to provide parents and families with practical steps for steering youth away from risky behaviors. Starting the conversation about alcohol and sex can be difficult for parents, but the town hall meeting is a safe venue to explore these topics.
We especially hope that both boys and girls can learn more about sexual assault. There is a huge burden on young men’s shoulders to know what “informed consent” means. When both genders take responsibility for their actions, less sexual coercion, unplanned pregnancies, and STDs occur.
The Orcas Island Prevention Partnership town hall meeting about underage drinking and teen sexuality is Wednesday, April 21 at the senior center. At 5:30 p.m. chili and cornbread will be served. The meeting is from 6 to 8 p.m.
