The first few weeks of classes are always the hardest, so if you are a freshman and reading this, you have stayed through three weeks of classes at WSU. I am happy to say congratulations for making it this far.

College is an exciting time in one’s school and social life, but is also one of the most dangerous.

Defined by the New York Times as “a period of vulnerability for sexual assaults, beginning when freshmen first walk onto campus until Thanksgiving break,” ‘the red zone’ is the first six weeks of the academic year.

To emphasize this, the Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study by the U.S Department of Justice found that 50 percent of sexual assaults during the academic year happen during August, September, October or November, stating that “women victimized during college are most likely to be victimized early on in their college tenure.”

I know this because I am a survivor, and I am writing this column because I want to impart to you the importance of consent.

When it comes to sexual activity and consent, “It is not a conversation we have enough on our campus and in our society,” said Nikki Finnestead, violence prevention coordinator with the Green Dot Program. “It is fundamentally lacking among young people when it is most needed.”

“Consent to any sexual activity must be clear, knowing, and voluntary. Anything less is equivalent to a ‘no,’” according to Washington Administrative Code 504-26-221.

As John Oliver of Last Week Tonight explained this, “Sex is like boxing. If both people didn’t fully agree to participate, one of them is committing a crime.”

 This is completely accurate. Rape is a felony.

The Centre County Women’s Resource Center provides some ways to communicate and understand the degrees of consent in your situation: listen to your partner; be firm in communicating your limits; don’t bend in to pressure to do acts you are uncomfortable with doing; ask your partner throughout if they are okay and/or comfortable with what you are doing.

So when is consent unable to be given?

“When someone is incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances, the person has lost the ability to consent,” said Finnestead.  “If you are being pressured, coerced, or forced, you have had the ability to consent taken away from you.”

Some other examples of what consent is not: clothing; the amount of alcohol you have had; flirting; prior sexual history with a particular person or your sexual history in general nor the closeness of your relationship to the person – this also includes romantic partners.

Remember, some people believe that the above list constitutes consent. That is why it is important for you to communicate and verbalize your position.

However, if they do not respect your wishes, “regardless of how you respond, it is not okay if someone does this (violates your consent and assaults) to you,” said Finnestead. “You did not deserve this to happen. You have resources available to help you – Alternatives to Violence on the Palouse, Counseling and Psychological Services, WSU, the police.”

Empower yourself. Read this column, keep it, share it, talk about it.

Knowing what defines your ability to consent to sexual encounters and relationships can go a long way in protecting you from unwanted physical interactions. If someone tries to guilt-trip or shame you since you were “asking for it” with the clothes you were wearing, for example, kindly remind them to shove it as clothing indicates nothing about your sexual intentions.

Cougs help Cougs, and this topic matter is of no exception. You matter – and that is why I wrote this for you.

Sophia Stephens is a senior english literature and comparative ethnic studies major from wenatchee. She can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of the Office of Student Media.