Most rapes and sexual assaults are committed by acquaintances. The following are general suggestions for reducing your risk of sexual assault.

BE ASSERTIVE, DIRECT, AND CLEAR.

Be direct about reaching an understanding with a friend or date. Don't assume an earlier understanding still holds. Knowing someone, even intimately, is no defense against a charge of sexual assault. Sex without consent is rape, whether the coercion used is physical or emotional. Non-stranger rape is a criminal offense.

Don't accept a ride from someone you have just met, no matter how nice he seems.

Remember that alcohol and drugs impair not only your judgment but also your ability to make that judgment clear to someone else. And if you are socializing with a group that is using alcohol or drugs, their judgment, and their ability to understand you, will also be impaired.

On college campuses across the country, alcohol or drugs play a major role in 79 percent of sexual assault incidents.

BE INFORMED.

The Georgia Crime Information Center, a division of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, is required to act as the repository for registration information concerning those persons convicted of a sex crime who reside within the state of Georgia. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is available online at www.state.ga.us/gbi/disclaim.html.

The University offers a number of programs to educate students about sexual assault and sexual offenses. The violence prevention coordinator presents workshops to student organizations, Greek Life, residence halls, classrooms, and faculty and staff. For information about these programs, call 706-542-7233.

The University police department offers free programs on personal safety for women. They emphasize alertness, prevention, precaution, and preparation. Call the crime prevention unit at 706-542-0104 for information.