Sexual Violence Prevention & Safety Tips

The college’s mission is to create a safe community where all students can learn to their full potential and reach their academic and career goals. We care about our student’s safety not only while they are on the PVCC campus but also while they are off campus as a part of the larger community. The following guidelines are intended to promote safety and help students evaluate potential risks:

• Be cautious, alert and smart.
• Do not meet someone you do not know well in a remote or isolated place.
• Always tell someone where you are going and when you will be home.
• If something doesn’t feel right, leave immediately.
• If you have limits, make them known as early as possible.
• Clearly communicate your intentions and give the other person a chance to clearly relate their intentions to you.
• Understand and respect personal boundaries.
• Don’t make assumptions about consent; about sexual availability; or about whether a person is attracted to you. If there are questions or any ambiguity then you do not have consent.
• Understand that consent to one form of sexual behavior does not automatically imply consent to any other forms of sexual behavior
• Tell someone NO clearly and firmly.
• Take affirmative responsibility for your alcohol intake/drug use and acknowledge that alcohol/drugs lower your sexual inhibitions, compromise your judgment and make you vulnerable to someone who views an intoxicated person as a sexual opportunity.
• Use the buddy system. A real friend will challenge you if you are about to make a mistake.
• Use your gut instincts to guide you. If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it.