As a summer party host, the last thing you want is someone to experience harm or discomfort under your watch. You can take safety measures to ensure everyone at the party feels safe, but bad decisions and party guest agency are outside of your control.
Here are some ideas for summer party safety and how you can encourage your family and guests to report sexual misconduct.
1. Establish a Safe Environment: Make rules in your home for appropriate behavior, encouraging all guests to speak out if they see trouble. If someone gets too drunk or is acting out of turn, tell all party guests to notify you immediately.
2. Educate and Raise Awareness: Review the terms of consent and appropriate behavior with your guests. Let them know that all guests should feel empowered and safe in your home.
3. Respond Supportively: Listen up if someone tells you about an incident that happened in your home or anywhere else. The best thing you can do for a victim of sexual assault is have a listening ear. Let them take the lead on what they want to do next, encouraging them to report the incident immediately but not forcing them before they are ready.
4. Report Incidents Promptly: List reasons why your friend should report sexual misconduct. If they try to talk themselves out of it saying they don’t think law enforcement could do anything about it or too much time has passed, tell them they have your support.
5. Seek Legal Advice: It’s time to talk to an expert to help with a sexual misconduct case. You do not have to talk to the police by yourself. When you have an attorney by your side, you will feel empowered to keep moving in the right direction.
Reporting incidents of sexual misconduct will protect the victim and future victims. It will also send the message that party safety is an absolute priority, and no one will look the other way when it comes to sexual misconduct.
If you or someone you know needs legal assistance or advice regarding sexual misconduct, contact Miles & Hatcher, LLP at (909) 481-4080 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys. We are committed to advocating for the rights of survivors and providing support throughout the legal process.