Greeks take steps to avoid date rape

In addition, 84 percent of women who were raped knew the perpetrator, said Kristin Rivera, director of Campus Acquaintance Rape Educators.

Because a majority of college campus rapes occur during the first month of school, Sexual Assault Awareness Week was held this week at the UA.

Rivera said there was no connection between the awareness program and tonight's fraternity "Bid Night," where various houses will host parties to celebrate their new members.

However, Rivera said she is concerned about the excess consumption of alcohol that occurs during a lot of these parties.

She said women should be aware and not put themselves into situations where they can get into trouble.

University Police Chief Harry Hueston is also concerned about women's safety tonight.

"We will have a large number of freshmen women given alcohol and targeted by older men as possible victims of sexual assault," Hueston said.

Two students on campus yesterday said they acknowledged the role alcohol plays in sexual assault.

Psychology sophomore Issham Hayat said she believes alcohol definitely is a factor.

"You know what you're getting into if you're going there. If you're going to drink, that just adds on to it," she said.

Theatre arts freshman Kate Murphy said although alcohol may be a factor in sexual assault cases, she is not necessarily afraid for her safety.

Murphy said she plans on going to some of the parties on campus this weekend.

She said, "I know myself ƒ I know my limits."

Most fraternities, including the Chi Phi House enact self-policing techniques to monitor happenings at their parties.

Chi Phi member Shawn Halstead said members even go so far as to watch couples who may enter rooms, then knock on the door and make sure other members are aware of what they are doing.

Halstead said it may seem like they are pestering someone, but he added it was important to "kinda break up the chaos that's going on in there."

Besides these self-policing techniques, Halstead said there are always police working their parties as well as hired security guards.

Beta Theta Pi President Scott Wolford said police and security presence at fraternity parties is a common practice.

In addition, Hueston said university administrators have pushed for organizations to provide more food and non-alcoholic beverages at their functions.

Wolford said GAMMA, an acronym for Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol, is an organization that frequents these parties to check on infringements of agreed upon rules.

GAMMA member Julie Poore said the group's peer monitors check each house for the presence of security and or police and "safe ride signs" posted on the premises, which list the telephone numbers of taxicab companies.

Rivera said she is unsure of how affective GAMMA is because people can always find ways around rules.

The best ways to avoid being a victim of rape is to not only practice moderation with alcohol but for students to know when they are endangering themselves, she said.

News reporter John Brown contributed to this article.