Mary Rose Wattier, a WSC graduate and Criminal Justice liaison for Haven House, gave a presentation on sexual harassment in Carhart last Thursday.

Wattier is a licensed therapist and has been working for Haven House for about 14 years. She also has graduated with her master’s and is also qualified for alcohol and drug counseling.

She started off by explaining that sexual assault is more than just rape.

“Sexual assault is not only rape, it is any type of unwanted sexual contact.” Wattier said. “Not all sexual assaults are violent ‘attacks.”

She also made a point to say that if the other person is intoxicated in any way, that does not justify consensual sex.

The presentation included a slide show with many different facts about sexual assault, such as 1 in 6 boys are raped before the age of 18. That doesn’t include the rapes that aren’t reported, which is a high number.

There were also a few points that young people hear growing up, but turn out to be myths. For example, that men who rape other men are clearly homosexual is, in fact, a myth. Wattier explained that one of the main reasons that offenders do what they do is because they want power and control over the victim.

Offenders will stop at nothing to get what they want, which may include the use of drugs, claiming mutual consent and using social media to attack the victim.

Also, many people think that the perpetrators are intoxicated when an assault happens, which is not always true. Only 30 percent of offenders are incapacitated during the planning or act of sexual assault.

Wattier also gave the group a rundown of what Haven House has to offer, such as a helpline that is available 24/ 7. Haven House will also help with getting groceries, toiletries and even provide furniture donations if someone is struggling with sexual assault.

Wattier stressed that if one is assaulted at a young age, that all those emotions will eventually come out until he or she gets some help. Also, even if you haven’t been sexually assaulted, you can still help those who have. It helps to get more educated about this subject, and how you can help someone close to you that is suffering.

“It’s education. The more you know, the more you know of what to say and what to do,” Wattier said.