Baylor > Counseling Center > Resources > Online for Students > Sexual Assault
The Baylor University Counseling Center has counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To speak with a counselor or to make an appointment, call (254) 710-2647. You can also stop by the Baylor University Counseling Center, located on the 2nd floor of the McLane Student Life Center (the SLC).
When a person drinks too much alcohol:
Lower your risk
The BUCC has counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To speak with a counselor or to make an appointment, call (254) 710-2647. You may also stop by the Counseling Center, located on the 2nd floor of the McLane Student Life Center (the SLC).
For an emergency when you need immediate assistance,
call the Baylor University Police Department:
(254) 710-2222.
Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center
100 Hillcrest Medical Boulevard
Waco, TX 76712
(254) 202-2000
Providence Hospital
6901 Medical Parkway
Waco, TX 76712
(254) 751-4000
(354) 751-4180 (Emergency room)
Waco Advocacy Center http://www.advocacycntr.org
2323 Columbus Avenue
Waco, TX 76701
Local crisis line: (254) 752-7233
National toll free: (888) 867-7233
National Sexual Assault Hotline
(800) 656-HOPE
All calls are free and kept anonymous
Texas and national resources
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) http://www.taasa.org
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) http://www.rainn.org
Free resources
Counseling Center Village http://ccvillage.buffalo.edu/vpc.html
The United States Department of Justice http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/sexassault.htm
Office on Violence Against Women
Want to get involved at Baylor?
Sexual Assault
What is sexual assault?
What should I do if I have been assaulted?
Is it my fault?
The connection between assault and alcohol
Resources
Sexual assault is taken very seriously at Baylor University. If you or someone you know has experienced any type of sexual assault, please encourage them to get help.
A note on confidentiality at the Baylor University Counseling Center:
All records are confidential. Your counseling center records are maintained separately from your academic or administrative records.
The Baylor University Counseling Center has counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for Baylor students. To speak with a counselor or to make an appointment, please call (254) 710-2647. You may also stop by the BUCC, located on the 2nd floor of the McLane Student Life Center (the SLC).
Something to consider:
If you have been the victim of sexual assault, we recommend that you report it to the police, even if you decide not to pursue charges at a later date.
Did you know?
Information from the Texas Penal Code can be found here.
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual contact that happens against a person's will or without consent. This can include sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape. These happen because the perpetrator wants to feel powerful and in control. These actions include any unwanted contact, including intercourse, touching, or any other sexual stimulation that is performed without consent or through the use of threat or force.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is any type of sexual interaction between an adult and a minor, including sexual intercourse, touching, or contact.
Rape
Rape is any kind of sexual intercourse that is committed against a person's will or is committed with or by the threat of force. There are two types: date rape and stranger rape.
Stranger rape is when a victim does not know the perpetrator.
You may experience some symptoms of trauma, which include sleep disturbances, eating pattern disturbances, mood swings, feelings of humiliation or self blame, nightmares, anger, fear of sex, and difficulty in trusting others. If you do experience these symptoms, the best thing to do is to get some help.
Important numbers for getting assistance:
Baylor University Police Department: (254) 710-2222
Baylor University Counseling Center: (254) 710-2647
- 1 out of every 5 college aged women is a rape survivor.
- 74% of rapes involve alcohol and other drugs.
- Of all rapes and sexual assaults, 74% are not reported to the police.
- 79% of rapes on college campuses are committed by someone the survivor knows.
- 15% of women and 9% of men reported having an abusive relationship in the past year.
- Between 25-30% of female college students have been stalked.
What is sexual assault?
Sexual assault is a term that is used to describe a broad range of unwanted sexual contact. Any type of sexual assault is illegal, and you may consider pressing charges.Information from the Texas Penal Code can be found here.
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual contact that happens against a person's will or without consent. This can include sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape. These happen because the perpetrator wants to feel powerful and in control. These actions include any unwanted contact, including intercourse, touching, or any other sexual stimulation that is performed without consent or through the use of threat or force.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is any type of sexual interaction between an adult and a minor, including sexual intercourse, touching, or contact.
Rape
Rape is any kind of sexual intercourse that is committed against a person's will or is committed with or by the threat of force. There are two types: date rape and stranger rape.
Date Rape (aka "acquaintance rape") is a form of sexual assault involving unwanted sexual activities with someone the rape survivor knows. If a person says no and is still forced into having sex, then it's considered rape. Many times women or men who have been date raped do not view the assault as rape. Often times on a college campus, the survivor and the perpetrator will live near each other.
Communication is key to understanding another person's desires and concerns. Often, these needs are misinterpreted. Being clear about what you are and are not willing to do will help avoid any situations in which you don't want to find yourself.
The bottom line is "yes" means yes and "no" means no!
Stranger rape is when a victim does not know the perpetrator.
What should I do if I have been assaulted?
- Tell someone. Report it. Call the Baylor Police Department.
You won't have to decide if you want to press charges immediately, but
reporting it to authorities is an important step if you do decide to
press charges later.
- Don't destroy evidence. Don't wash or change your clothes, brush your teeth, or go to the bathroom. Go directly to get help.
- Seek medical attention. Go to a hospital. A medical exam is
very important, because it can allow for physical evidence to be
collected. You don't have to decide immediately if you want to press
charges; but if you don't permit physical evidence to be collected now,
you may not be able to get it later. You should be tested for pregnancy
and sexual transmitted infections.
You may experience some symptoms of trauma, which include sleep disturbances, eating pattern disturbances, mood swings, feelings of humiliation or self blame, nightmares, anger, fear of sex, and difficulty in trusting others. If you do experience these symptoms, the best thing to do is to get some help.
Important numbers for getting assistance:
Baylor University Police Department: (254) 710-2222
Baylor University Counseling Center: (254) 710-2647
Is it my fault?
No. It is not your fault. No one ever deserves to be a victim of sexual assault.The Baylor University Counseling Center has counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To speak with a counselor or to make an appointment, call (254) 710-2647. You can also stop by the Baylor University Counseling Center, located on the 2nd floor of the McLane Student Life Center (the SLC).
The connection between alcohol and sexual assault
Alcohol impairs judgment and lowers inhibition. It also lowers the ability of a person to recognize a dangerous situation. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, alcohol is the most common drug used to help commit sexual assault.When a person drinks too much alcohol:
- It can be harder to think clearly
- It is harder to set limits and to make good choices
- It is harder to tell when a situation becomes dangerous
- It is harder to say "no" to sexual advances
- It is harder to fight back if a sexual assault begins
- It is possible to black out and to have memory loss
Lower your risk
- When going out with friends, watch out for each other. Don't allow friends to wander off with people they don't know
- Go with friends, and return with friends. Never leave a friend behind at a party
- Use your own good judgment!
- Never leave a drink unattended
- Never accept a drink from a stranger
- Never accept a drink in an open container
- Avoid taking drinks from a punch bowl
- Avoid drinks with an unusual taste or appearance
Resources
Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC)The BUCC has counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To speak with a counselor or to make an appointment, call (254) 710-2647. You may also stop by the Counseling Center, located on the 2nd floor of the McLane Student Life Center (the SLC).
For an emergency when you need immediate assistance,
call the Baylor University Police Department:
(254) 710-2222.
Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center
100 Hillcrest Medical Boulevard
Waco, TX 76712
(254) 202-2000
Providence Hospital
6901 Medical Parkway
Waco, TX 76712
(254) 751-4000
(354) 751-4180 (Emergency room)
Waco Advocacy Center http://www.advocacycntr.org
2323 Columbus Avenue
Waco, TX 76701
Local crisis line: (254) 752-7233
National toll free: (888) 867-7233
National Sexual Assault Hotline
(800) 656-HOPE
All calls are free and kept anonymous
Texas and national resources
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) http://www.taasa.org
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) http://www.rainn.org
Free resources
Counseling Center Village http://ccvillage.buffalo.edu/vpc.html
The United States Department of Justice http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/sexassault.htm
Office on Violence Against Women
Want to get involved at Baylor?
Active Minds is a new organization on campus. The Baylor chapter of this national organization seeks to reduce the stigma of getting help, increase awareness of mental health issues, and act as a liaison for outreach to the community. Various speakers, fundraisers, and outreach activities are offered throughout the year. One of these areas of outreach, sexual assault, addresses reducing barriers to getting help and increasing awareness on campus.If you are interested, please contact Kerri Bond, graduate assistant for outreach by email, Kerri_Bond@baylor.edu, or by phone (254) 710-4486.
