No Means No

Project Respect recognizes the importance of educating OTC’s students, faculty and staff on the importance of consent. We are devoted to carrying the message that no means no. The following information is helpful in the prevention of sexual violence:

Facts

It is important to educate yourself on the prevalence of sexual violence in order to understand the risks and to be mindful of prevention. For instance:

Alcohol is the number 1 date-rape drug in the nation.
Date-rape or attempted date-rape affects approximately one in four college-age women during her college years (Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987).
One in 10 men (on average) will be sexually assaulted in their adulthood.

ABCs of Bystander Intervention

Prevent sexual violence as a bystander by keeping the ABCs of intervention in mind:

Assess for Safety
Be with Others
Care for Others

Always be mindful of potential risks for both yourself and those in your company. Never assume others are fine on their own or that it isn’t your responsibility to check on them.

Know your rights!

Make sure consent is explicit. Individuals should never assume consent. Remember the following:

Even if it was “yes” last time, if at any point you or your partner says “NO,” it means STOP.
“No” can be said at any time during the activity.
You have the right to a safe education and safe environment.