Beginning in 1972, women found more opportunities in law enforcement, although they still faced many barriers. Progress continues to move slowly.

Equipment
In the early 70's, many women were still issued impractical uniforms that included skirts and heals. In wasn't until the late 70's that equipment belts designed for women were available.

There are still issues with uniforms, especially in departments with few women. According to Donna Milgram, executive director of the Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Science (IWITTS), "Most gear is designed for male officers and is based on tests with male officers, and cut down versions don't really work for women. Improperly fitting equipment, and uniforms pose a health and safety hazard which could endanger the lives of police officers and of others" (Policeone.com)

Opportunities
President Richard Nixon's 1969 executive order ending the FBI's ban on hiring women as special agents had been a step in the right direction. However, the most significant piece of legislation to usher in the modern era of law enforcement for women came in 1972.

An amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act gave the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) power to enforce anti-discrimination laws for state and local government agencies--including police departments. Women began being hired in greater numbers, attending regular police academies, and receiving promotions to supervisory positions across the country. These advances were not showing up equally in every department.

"An analysis of the UCR data showed that most of the police agencies reporting to the FBI did not employ any policewomen in 2003," (Policechiefmagazine.org). While large agencies and campus police departments integrated women into patrol positions, many small, rural departments still do not have female officers.

Hiring officials say they hire the best person for the job, but complain that there are few female applicants (Pennlive.com). Recruitment still lags behind need.

Diversity is important in law enforcement. Chief James Adams of Upper Allen Twp. Police Department in Pennsylvania said, "If you look at our client base, we have significant victims, witnesses, people we arrest, who are female. I'm not saying it's 50-50, but right now we're 100 percent male as far as sworn staff" (Pennlive.com).

• 1972: An amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act gave the EEOC power to enforce anti-discrimination laws for state and local government agencies.
• 1980: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) formally defined sexual harassment and classified it as a form of sexual discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
  
• 1985: Penny Harrington became first female police chief for a major city, (Portland, Oregon).
  
• 1992: Jacquelyn Barrett elected as first black female sheriff (Fulton County, Georgia).
• 1993: Margaret M. Moore, first female to serve as the head of an ATF field office (Baltimore, MD).
  
• 1994: Beverly J. Harvard selected first African American woman to serve as chief of police for a large city, (Atlanta, Georgia).
• 1995: The National Center for Women & Policing and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives were founded.
• 1999: Women in Federal Law Enforcement organization was incorporated.
• 2003: The majority of U.S. agencies did not employ female law enforcement officers.
• 2011: Women comprise 13% of law enforcement personnel.
  
• 2013: Julia Pierson appointed by President Obama as first female Secret Service Director.
  

Social Barriers
"In 1973, a sergeant with the LAPD, Fanchon Blake, sued after she and other female police sergeants were not allowed to take the lieutenant's exam because they were women. She won. A similar lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department by Sue Bouan in 1980 was eventually settled in 1988" (Policemag.com). These lawsuits helped improve hiring and promotional practices for women. However, some of the pioneers, like Bouman, confronted a backlash from peers for the rest of their careers.

Sexual harassment and hazing were common roadblocks for new female officers in the 1970's. Patty Fogerson, ret. detective supervisor III, worked as a police officer with the LAPD from 1969 to 1994. She talked about her early years on the department. "Phrases like sexual harassment and hostile work environment didn't exist back then. I was able to work robbery and detectives, background investigations, and was one of the first female drill instructors in the academy. I just got along and survived in the beginning, then things settled down" (Policemag.com).

As of 1998, there were few mentoring programs designed to support women in law enforcement (Policemag.com). Women in small departments where they may be the only female patrol officer sometimes find support through national organizations.

Benefits of Women in Law Enforcement
Rather than having a tendency to fuel an already violent situation, female officers are more likely to use communication skills to try to calm the situation. Some victims may find talking with female officers less intimidating than reporting to male officers. Chiefs point out that there are situations in which the department may open itself up to liability when only relying on male officers in sensitive situations with female victims and suspects.

While some are concerned about women not being as big and strong as some male officers, others don't see this as a major issue. There are many tools, including tasers and firearms, that simply do not rely on strength. In most situations, all officers would be better off if they relied on tactics and skills rather than strength.

Now that women play a more active role in the military, some female applicants bring military experience and tactical skills to the job.

Achievements
Although uncommon, women have served as police chiefs, sheriffs, and assistant directors of federal agencies. Women have formed supportive organizations including the International Association of Women Police, The National Center for Women & Policing, The National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, and Women in Federal Law Enforcement.

There are still firsts left for women in law enforcement. In fact, Julia Pierson was just selected by President Obama to be the Secret Service director on March 26, 2013. She will be the first woman to hold that post. After working as a police officer for three years at the Orlando Police Department, she joined the Secret Service. She rose through the ranks over the last 30 years (www.cfnews13.com). Some believe that she is entrusted with changing the male-dominated culture of the agency which allowed for a prostitution scandal in 2012 (Washingtonpost.com).

Progress
The International Association of Chiefs of Police released a report on "The Future of Women in Policing" (Criminaljusticeschoolinfo.com). These were their findings:

• Given the variety of circumstances faced by law enforcement officers, it has been found that women can be just as effective and even more effective in certain scenarios.
  
  
• Women often show a high degree of competency in intellectual and strategic situations and can diffuse potentially dangerous situations with great skill
  
  
• Women still face discrimination, sexual harassment, and peer intimidation in their roles
  
  
• As role models at higher levels of law enforcement increase, the number of women interested increases
  
  
• The media has recently made a shift and portrayed women as competent and effective law enforcement personnel, which is helpful for changing societal assumptions
  
  
• More than two-thirds of current criminal justice students polled are in support of additional women law enforcement officers
  
  
• Women law enforcement officers are especially effective in carrying out the new community model of policing, which is less reactive and more proactive

Women's role in law enforcement has grown significantly in the last 140 years (see Women in Law Enforcement: The Early Years). Yet, women hold only 13% of law enforcement jobs, and only 7% of supervisory positions (Criminaljusticeschoolinfo.com). Many small departments still have no females among their sworn officers. Unlike their male counterparts, female officers frequently feel the need to prove themselves daily. Perseverance has allowed women to make contributions and attain increasingly more powerful roles in law enforcement.


Resources:

Criminal Justice School Info, "Women in Law Enforcement," www.criminaljusticeschoolinfo.com, (accessed 4-2-2013).

Horne, Peter, "Policewomen: Their First Century and the New Era," www.policechiefmagazine.org, September, 2006.

Miller, Barbara, "Female Police Officers are Rare but Sought After for Unique Skills," www.pennLive.com, 12-8-2012.

National Law Enforcement Officer Museum, "Women in Law Enforcement Photo Timeline," www.NLEOMF.org, (accessed 3-20-2013).

News 13, "Orlando's Julia Pierson Named 1st Woman Secret Service Head," www.cfnews13.com, 3-26-2013.

Scoville, Dean, "The First Female Patrol Officers," www.policemag.com, 9-21-2012.

Stone, Rebecca, "Sam Browne and Beyond: A Look at Duty Belts," www.policeone.com, Nov. 2000.

Wilson, Scott, "Obama to Name Julia Pierson as New Secret Service Director," www.washintonpost.com, 3-26-2013.

Most municipalities demand police protection around the clock; therefore, shift work is an integral part of law enforcement. Agencies differ in the length, times, and rotation of shifts required of their officers. Some shift work leaves police in a state of fatigue that ultimately endangers them and the public they protect.

Beyond their scheduled shifts, officers may work overtime on cases, court appearances, or special assignments. "Roughly 40 percent of the nation's 861,000 police officers work more than 12 hours a day -- and a similar proportion suffer from a sleep disorder such as insomnia or excessive sleepiness" (APA.org). Sleep disorders and fatigue affect moods, cognitive abilities, physical reflexes, social interactions, and immune systems. That is bad for performing routine functions like driving and high-level decision making, "especially when officers must make decisions about whether to use deadly force -- often in ambiguous, fast-paced, high-risk situations" (APA.org).

Length of Shift

Traditionally, police were scheduled to work five 8-hour shifts per week. Many departments have experimented with four 10-hour shifts or even three 12-hour shifts.

Karen Amendola and her colleagues at the Police Foundation conducted a study of 275 officers working various lengths of shifts over six months. The officers were randomly assigned to work 8-, 10-, or 12-hour shifts.  It turned out that officers working 10-hour shifts tended to get more sleep than those working 8-hour shifts--an average of 30 minutes more per night (NIJ.gov). Those working 10-hour shifts worked the least amount of overtime and also reported having a "higher quality of work life than those on 8-hour shifts" (NIJ.gov).

In contrast, "officers working the 12-hour shifts reported greater levels of sleepiness and lower levels of alertness at work" (NIJ.gov). They worked 3 times as much overtime as those on 10-hour shifts, but less than those working 8-hour shifts.

From limited data, the 12-hour shift seems to be the least conducive to optimum police effectiveness on the job while 10-hour shifts hold possible benefits over the traditional 8-hour system. More research is needed.

Time of Day

Let's compare working a night shift to a more traditional day/evening shift. We may all have 24 hours in a day, but people who work a night shift tend to get less sleep than those who work other schedules. They get stuck between living a nocturnal existence in which they sleep during the day and participating in social circles that gather during the day. Many function on less than four hours of sleep daily. "This could lead to individual health problems, as well as poor work performance" (Jimston Journal).

Even if they get ample sleep, they still face a difficult battle. "People who work the night shift must combat their bodies' natural rest period while trying to remain alert and high functioning" (APA.org). Your body is designed to slow down and cool off at night--not what you want when responding to an emergency call.

Officers may adopt bad eating and drinking habits in an effort to boost their energy levels, but this leads to other health problems.

Alternative Work Patterns

There are three ways that shift work tends to be assigned: dedicated (permanent) shifts; slow rotation; and rapid rotation (Jimston Journal).

Dedicated Shifts: Set work hours make it easier for departments to schedule officers and for officers to adjust their habits to their work hours. Individuals at least have the opportunity to physically adjust to their schedules. However, night shift workers are still less likely to get a full seven to eight hours of sleep. Problems of sleep loss and fatigue are exacerbated when the assigned shift is a 12 hour, overnight shift.

Slow Rotation: Some departments choose to share the burdens and opportunities of working various shifts across the workforce. They may switch shifts slowly over time. It is best for the health of workers that they not have to "change shifts for at least 4-5 weeks at a time. This allows for minimal disruption of the circadian cycle" (Jimston Journal).

Rapid Rotation: Within as little as one week, police may be required to change from afternoon to day to night shift. This is the most disruptive of all patterns, giving individuals no chance to adjust their biological clocks to a set of wake/sleep hours. Animal experiments have shown that rapid rotation left circadian rhythms undetectable. "Body temperature and blood chemistry of these animals were in a constant state of flux" (Jimston Journal). 

It is imperative that departments use either dedicated shifts or a slow rotation. "Research has found that people deprived of normal sleeping patterns can actually fall into microsleep for a few seconds and be unaware that they aren't performing the task before them" (Jimston Journal).

Even if we go with dedicated, 10-hour shifts, some officers must be assigned to the night shift. Next week, I will look into ways to adjust your biological clock and avoid the sleep and health issues often associated with working the night shift.

Resources:

• Pearsall, Beth, "Sleep Disorders, Work Shifts and Officer Wellness," National Institute of Justice, NIJ.gov, 06/2012.
• Price, Michael, "The Risks of Night Work," American Psychological Association, APA.org, 01/2011.
• Violanti, John M., "Shift Work may be Hazardous to Your Health," Jimston Journal, (accessed 12-26-2012)

Tons of online shopping orders and presents will be arriving on doorsteps across the country this month. Letting those items sit unattended provides opportunity for would-be thieves.

You may have seen in the news that people across the country have stolen packages from homes. More deliveries this time of year means more potential thefts.

Three women in Stoneham, Massachusetts, were caught following a delivery truck and then swiping package after package from people's homes (see video at Boston.cbslocal.com). In Connecticut this month, police arrested three people for stealing an entire FedEx truck (see video at Courant.com). One Tennessee woman even had a gift she intended to send stolen from her hands outside of a post office.

Here are a few tips to prevent your deliveries from being stolen.

Since there is always a chance that you won't be home when a package arrives, take extra precautions with big ticket/irreplaceable items. Request that the sender/shipper require a signature upon delivery. While you could ask a neighbor to watch your home, it may be better to provide the delivery company with specific instructions on what to do with the package if you are not home to receive it. "UPS told WAVY.com its drivers are trained to leave packages out of site, but without special instructions drivers drop them off and move on to the next stop" (WAVY.com).

You should track your deliveries. Both UPS and FedEx have free programs that allow you to reroute a delivery, after shipping, to their nearest shipping facility.

It might be good to avoid home delivery, especially if you are rarely home during the day. Besides a shipping center, consider the possibility of sending items to your workplace or a local store from which you ordered. If none of these alternates is suitable, it may be time to consider a security camera with remote storage.

Here are a few other precautions you may want to adopt.

Tips for preventing mail theft:
Johnson, Nikie, "Mail Theft: Tips for not Becoming a Victim," Blog.pe.com, 12-4-2012.

Tips for preventing charity fraud:
Federal Trade Commission, "Avoid Charity Fraud," FTC.com, 2-2-2012.

Safety tips for home and around town:
Crepeau, Jr., Normand, "Chief's Column: Crime Prevention During the Holidays," Grafton.dailyvoice.com, 12-6-2012.
Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, "Crime Prevention Tips for the Holidays," TTPS.gov.tt, accessed 12-12-2012.
Lincoln Police Department, "Holiday Crime Prevention Tips," lincoln,ne.gov, accessed 12-12-2012.

Once you have your deliveries safely inside your home, don't leave them in front of your picture window, and don't set the box for the new, big screen TV next to the trash can. Break it down and dispose of it or recycle it. Play it safe. Don't provide anyone with the opportunity to redeliver your gifts to another home. Make things a little difficult and possible thieves will generally go on down the road.

Resources:

• Leamanczyk, Lauren, "Thieves Caught Stealing Christmas Gifts from Stoneham Home," Boston.cbslocal.com, 12-4-2012.
• Newell, Dave, "How to Ensure Cyber-Monday Buys Don't Get Stolen," Cerritos.patch.com, 11-27-2012.
• WAVY.com, "Tips for Safe Cyber Shopping Delivery," Wavy.com, 11-27-2012.

UPDATE:  Caught on video...A UPS employee had to trade his brown uniform for an orange jumpsuit when caught stealing a package that had been delivered by FedEx.

Heartfelt thoughts go to those directly affected by Superstorm Sandy. May you find courage and hope!

I want to discuss something most of us would have once considered to be as unlikely as the confluence of weather systems that caused this tragic storm...a latent fingerprint matched to two different men.

On March 11, 2004, a series of 10 bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, resulting in nearly 200 deaths. A fingerprint found on a bag of bomb-making equipment in a vehicle became a crucial piece of evidence.

The FBI entered the print into its database and 20 possible matches were generated. Each shared a minimum of seven unique traits with the print in evidence. To make a "positive ID," there would have to be 12 matching traits. One set of fingerprints on file for a lawyer in Portland, Oregon, shared 15 traits with the print in evidence. He must be the bomber, right?

At the time, a U.S. counter-terrorism official told Newsweek it was an "absolute incontrovertible match."

Later, Spanish authorities found the prints of a second man, a known terrorist, that also "matched" the sample in evidence. Parts of those fingerprints were so similar that both men were POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED as the bomb maker. It turns out that processing and interpreting fingerprint evidence is not an exact science, yet. It is valuable, but it is not absolute.
   
The National Academy of Sciences studied the discipline. In July 2009, they found there is inadequate "scientific rigor" in the methods and procedures.

This case and others are highlighted in the NOVA program "Forensics on Trial" which aired this month. (It can be viewed online here). It points out human errors in this case. It also introduces CTF impressions, a new technology that replicates the topographic features of fingerprints without altering them. Its possible field use is under review.

More sophisticated methods would be welcome, but we must deal with examiner bias and set reasonable standards to further improve our justice system.

See these sources for more details:

NOVA: Forensics on Trial, Aired on PBS, October 17, 2012
FBI is Cleared of Misconduct in Jailing of Oregon Man, NY Times, January 6, 2006
U.S. Settles Suit Filed by Ore. Lawyer, Washington Post, November 30, 2006
Badly Fragmented Forensic Science System Needs Overhaul, National Academy of Sciences, 2009

The Westminster, Colorado, community can begin to breathe a sigh of relief with the news of an arrest in the Jessica Ridgeway case.

Austin Reed Sigg, a local 17-year-old, was arrested for the October 5, 2012, abduction and subsequent murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway. Although innocent until proven guilty, an AP report says that the young man's mother made the call that led Sigg to turn himself over to police. She had no other comment.

In a news conference today, police announced that Sigg would be charged in the abduction and murder of Jessica and also in the attempted abduction and attempted murder of a 22-year-old runner on May 28 of this year. His home, in the area of both crimes, is currently being searched for forensic evidence and a vehicle has been removed from the garage. Police are also searching a Dumpster across the street from Sigg's home. Most of the evidence used as a basis for the arrest is sealed by court order.

If after reading details and seeing Sigg's picture you have more information to report, please contact police:

Tip line: 303-658-4336
Email: PDamberalert@cityofwestminster.us

Even though steps are being completed by the criminal justice system, these crimes are not done for these families or for this community. Especially since horrible crimes were committed against a child, adults will need to continue to provide support.

In How to Talk with Children in the Aftermath of Violence, Scott Hirschfeld explains these steps:

1. Validate feelings
2. Listen first
3. Respond honestly
4. Encourage non-violence
5. Avoid violent imagery
6. Limit media consumption
7. Focus on what's important
8. Counter bias and hate
9. Watch for warning signs

Hirschfeld suggests seeking assistance from a doctor or mental health professional if a child exhibits these symptoms: difficulty sleeping, trouble eating, fear of routine activities, refusal to separate from family members, or changed behavior that may be aggressive or withdrawn.

Some questions will be answered by the continuing investigation, some will not. Best wishes to the family, friends and community of Jessica Ridgeway. Let us continue to put our best foot forward in every missing child case. Hopefully few families and neighborhoods will have do deal with such extreme fear and grief.

Related stories:

Westminster Police arrest 17-year-old Austin Sigg in Jessica Ridgeway abduction, murder case, The Denver Channel.com Oct. 24, 2012.

Arrest Made in Ridgeway Case, Westminster Police Department Public Safety News: Oct. 24, 2012.

Purple was 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway's favorite color. Purple balloons and flowers now decorate memorials for the recent murder victim. Although hundreds searched for her, they were unable to rescue her from the hands of a monster. Now all efforts must be directed toward capturing and prosecuting her killer.

Jessica left for school on the morning of October 5, 2012. She never arrived. Hundreds of private citizens in her Westminster, Colorado, community joined authorities to search for her. Sadly, they did not find her alive. This is a time line of some of the steps taken to find Jessica and now to find her killer:

• Jessica left for school in Westminster, CO, 8:30 AM 10-5-2012
• Jessica's mother, who works nights, slept through calls from the school, 10-5-2012
• Jessica's mother reported her daughter missing, 4:30 PM 10-5-2012
• Amber Alert issued, evening 10-5-2012
• Family involvement was ruled out, 10-6-2012
  
• Fliers distributed and 100s of volunteers assisted authorities in search, 10-6-2012
• Dive team went on Ketner Lake, 10-6-2012
• Jessica's backpack found in Superior, CO, 6.4 miles NW of her home, 10-7-2012
• Neighbors held a vigil for missing girl. Family talked to media, 10-9-2012
• An unidentified body was found in Arvada, CO, SW of Jessica's home, 10-10-2012
• Crisis Center opened in Westminster, CO, 10-11-2012
• Officials verify that the murdered body was Jessica Ridgeway, 10-12-2012
• A celebration of Jessica Ridgeway's life, 2 PM 10-13-2012
• Memorial service held, 10-16-2012
• Autopsy performed, 10-16-2012

Next, society needs to continue to pursue the murderer and bring that person to justice. When Jessica's body was found, police described it as being "not intact." It took two days to positively identify the young girl who had just wanted to go to school. As Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk announced at an October 12 press conference, "Our focus has changed from a search for Jessica to a mission of justice for Jessica." (Denver Post 10-12-2012)

If you traveled through the Denver area, especially along the Denver Boulder Turnpike, between October 5 and October 10, 2012, try to recall anything suspicious and report it to the Westminster Police tip line: 303-658-4336.

What to Do if Your Child is Missing (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)
On the trail of a killer (Denver Post, 10-13-2012)
Jessica Ridgeway killing: Police look for suspect in two near-abductions (ABC News, 10-15-2012)
A girl's neighbors are left to grieve and fear a predator in their midst (New York Times, 10-16-2012)
3,000 embrace memories, smiles of slain 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway (Denver Post, 10-17-2012)

My husband and I have ordered seed from the Stock Seed Farms in Murdock, Nebraska, many times over the years. We even drove there once to pick up seed and admire fields of prairie grasses such as Big Bluestem and Little Bluestem. Like most Nebraskans, we were shocked to hear that owners Wayne and Sharmon Stock had been murdered in their home in 2006.  There were more surprises during the investigation of those murders that shook law enforcement and citizens in Nebraska.

Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET) has produced a one-hour documentary on the case investigation and the evidence initially used to hold two innocent men in jail. It shows the involvement of ex-CSI chief David Kofoed, who has since been sentenced to prison. Kofoed maintains his innocence.

I have to agree with Judge Rehmeier's statement in the Lincoln Journal Star: "Nothing should undermine the confidence in the system." The evidence tampering for which Kofoed was found guilty threatened the lives of innocent men and jeopardized the hunt for the real killers. It also made it harder for other law enforcement investigators to prove their credibility.

The good news is that the innocent men are now free, the guilty are in prison, and Kofoed is no longer working CSI. If you are interested in crime, justice, or murder mysteries, watch NET's CSI on Trial online or on your television.

• CSI on Trial (schedule and links), Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, 2012
• Extended video excerpts and documents from the investigation (Available mid-November 2012)
• "Ex-CSI chief Kofoed sentenced to prison," Lincoln Journal Star, June 01, 2010
• "Was Nebrask Couple's Murder Revenge or Random?" ABC 20/20, September 3, 2010
  

I can only hope that you are not one of the many people who have lost a family member or friend to murder. Yet, many were hit by the loss of one of the nearly 14,000 U.S. murder victims in 2011. We need to honor their memories on National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.

Little makes people more angry at the criminal justice system than the notion that accused criminals seem to have more rights than crime victims. "If the criminal justice systems of the world were private companies, they would all go out of business, because half of their main customers--that is, the victims of crime--are dissatisfied with their services," said Jan Van Dijk, Principal Officer of the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention.

According to the National Organization for Victim Assistance, most states in the U.S. do indicate the need and intent to protect Crime Victims' Rights in their statutes or constitutions. Common victims' rights include:

• The right to protection from intimidation and harm.
• The right to be informed concerning the criminal justice process.
• The right to reparations.
• The right to preservation of property and employment.
• The right to due process in criminal court proceedings.
• The right to be treated with dignity and compassion.
• The right to counsel.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime, seek groups and agencies to provide assistance and to protect your rights. In the U.S., the National Crime Victim Law Institute provides a Victim Resource Map to get started.

Remember that crime statistics aren't just numbers. They represent people.

• The National Center for Victims of Crime: http://www.victimsofcrime.org
• Directory of Crime Victim Services: http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/findvictimservices/
• Parents of Murdered Children (1-888-818-7662): http://www.pomc.com/

Like other states, Nebraska is experiencing "exceptional" drought. The September 11, 2012 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows the extent of the emergency.

I don't know how to get more rain to fall on parched ground, but I have found another kind of RAINN Day to promote as a way of combating sexual violence.

"Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted," according to RAINN, The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Of those victims, 80% will be under the age of 30, 44% will be under the age of 18 (http://www.rainn.org/statistics). College students are encouraged to host events to raise awareness of sexual violence on RAINN Day, Thursday, September 27, 2012.

Consider conducting an event of your own. Some of last year's RAINN Day events are highlighted in Cosmopolitan.

For instance, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 40 umbrellas were painted with sexual assault information and placed on the ground in the grove. The Undergraduate Student Government at Boston College wore matching t-shirts printed with "Sexual Assault Awareness Day" and the local hotline number. Elsewhere in the nation, campuses held raffles, symposia, screenings of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and activities such as chalking statistics on campus sidewalks.

Do your own RAINN dance on your campus or in your community. Check out the RAINN website or call these numbers for more information on preventing or responding to sexual violence.

• Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network Website: http://www.rainn.org/
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233) or 800-787-3224 (TDD)