A bench warrant has been issued for a man suspected of kidnapping, assaulting and raping a student. 

   On Feb. 12, the 18-year-old victim reported to Student Health Services that she had been assaulted by her 30-year-old ex-boyfriend. When campus security learned that the assault happened off campus, they notified the Monticello Police Department. 

   The victim told the officer she had been beaten up and kicked in her stomach several times, but it was not until the ambulance ride to the hospital that she said she had been raped. 

   The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported 188,960 incidents of sexual assault in 2005. Non-strangers committed 65.1 percent of these crimes while only 34.9 percent  were committed by strangers.

   People between the ages of 12 and 34 made up 62.8 percent  of the victims. Thirty-eight percent of these crimes happened inside the victim’s home, while 21.4 percent happened less than a mile from the victim’s home.

   A large portion of the people attending UAM, between the ages of 18 and 25, fall into one these categories.

   According to Adam McKee, assistant professor of criminal justice, “The best defense against assault is you.”  

   A person should be clear with their date about what, if any, sexual behavior they are comfortable with. Stay away from drugs and alcohol because they decrease your ability to make sensible decisions; trust your instincts, if you feel uncomfortable at you location, leave immediately, but not with someone you just met; and do not accept drinks from someone that you do not know.

   If the worst does happen, be as loud as possible and run away at the first available opportunity and no matter what, never let your attacker take you to another location.