What attracts sexual predators to college?
A reader asks, “What makes colleges such a hotbed of sexual crimes? What can students do to protect themselves?”
I introduce evidence in my book “Drunks, Drugs & Debits” that almost all crime is due directly or indirectly to alcohol or other-drug addiction. I also explain that the form alcohol or other-drug addiction takes is a function of circumstances and environment.
Early-stage alcoholism causes egomania. Egomania compels the alcoholic to wield power over others. Rape and assault are crimes not of passion, but of power. Ergo, rape and assault are rooted in alcoholism. College campus environments encourage both drinking and the wielding of sexual power, ranging from the relatively benign (serial Don Juanism) to the horrific.
Students who want to be safe should keep their distance from heavy drinkers, bars and other areas where heavy “partying” is known to be occurring. They should also stay away from those who seem to have an inordinately large sense of self-importance–aka, an inflated ego, which is symptomatic of alcoholism. While the alcoholic may be charming (charm is a terrific tool for wielding power), such charm can instantly turn to rage, which can take the form of rape.