Social Problems in Amerca

1. onservative, liberals, and radicals on the left perceive different social problems different ways. The same is true with social problems that arise involving sexuality.

Conservatives today view any type of sex outside of a heterosexual, married couples home as a social problem. They see homosexuality, extramarital affairs, and premarital sex as something to be frowned upon and something that is destroying societies morals and norms. They would prefer that society stick to the same old traditional principles it has had for hundreds of years and are unwilling to accept change. The main problem for people on the conservative side is that they perceive individuals as straying from the "natural" order of things. They loathe the idea of homosexuals marrying, abortions being allowed, and teen pregnancies. The only solution they foresee is for heterosexual parents to instill their conservative values in their own offspring in order to keep society from warping the sanctity of marriage and heterosexuality any further than it already has. They feel that their stringent values and rules will help alleviate issues of teen pregnancy and STDs.

Liberals, to a similar effect, feel that sexual institutions such as prostitution and pornography are harmful to society and are not victimless crimes. They feel that teen pregnancy is linked to poverty and that sexual harassment prevents people from doing their jobs. The main problem for liberals are the outside factors that influence individuals. Liberals advocate an external locus of control among their "victims." For example, the reason people are forced to work as prostitutes is because they did not grow up in an environment that taught them effective job skills to be successful. Or, women get pregnant because it's all they know to do. Essentially, liberals justify all their problems by blaming everyone and thing but the victim. They suggest that the only way to solve the problems of prostitution, pornography, and sexual harassment is for the government to get involved and offer support financially and educationally. They see it as the government's responsibility to keep sexuality out of the workplace, ensure that all women have the right to abortions, and to pursue a cure for aids. They are not focused on getting up and doing things for themselves. They'd much have the government intervene and get it done.

The Radical-Left, as the name might suggest, has the most radical view of all three of the groups. They believe social problems related to sexuality arise as a result of men dominating women and heterosexuality dominating all other sexual orientations. They look at problems such as the glass-ceiling, the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military, and prejudice against anyone who is not a heterosexual male. They feel that women and "deviant" sexual orientations are underprivileged and discriminated against openly. They are quick to note problems such as women and homosexual either not getting jobs they are better qualified for or being underpaid when they successfully acquire that job. The radical-left's solution to these problems is to change society into a gender-free society and change our culture to allow equality to all sexual orientations.

2. There are several organizations on campus whose mission does not directly state that they are involved in various sexual issues yet address them frequently and often. Organizations such as Breakout Entertainment, the Student Government Association, and the Baptist Student Ministry all foster environments that teach/train students how to act or not act sexually. Breakout Entertainment and Student Government have put on programs across campus that inform students about the risks of unprotected sex, watching out for date rape drugs, and how to protect yourself from unwanted sexual activities. Alongside of them, the University Police Department also does programs to teach students about the risks of sexual assaults and how to protect yourself. The BSM encourages students to wait until marriage before having sex and, if they do have sex and get pregnant, not to get an abortion. Alongside of all of these, the Counseling Center also puts on programs to give students knowledge about safe sex, what to do if one is raped, and how to make the right decision about whether or not to have a child. All these campus organizations are at the disposal of students and can be accessed easily and frequently should the student so choose. Freshman and Transfer-Student Orientations have entire sessions on safety and sexuality. The University fosters an environment of awareness to sexual issues and is quick to address these issues. In fact, according to the tamu-commerce website, March 14, 2007 was RAINN (rape, abuse, incest national network) day and was Sponsored by: Student Health Services, Counseling Center, University Police Department, Residence Hall Association, Kappa Alpha Fraternity, First Year Leadership Class, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Residence Life, SWAT Team (student peer training), Campus Wellness Program, Breakout Entertainment, Department of Social Work, and Crisis Center of Northeast Texas.

3. According to the National Sexual Assault Hotline, in the U.S., one in six women and one in 33 men have been sexually assaulted. This especially applies to college campuses. In fact, on average, one in four college females have been raped and about 90% knew their assailants. However, only about 27% considered themselves victims of the crime. Statistically, the risk of rape is four times higher for women aged 16 to 24, the prime dating age, than for any other population group and 1 in 12 college-age men admit having fulfilled the prevailing definition of rape or attempted rape, yet virtually none of these men identify themselves as rapists. Perhaps even more astonishing is that close to 75% of the sexual assaults that have occurred on college campuses across the U.S. have involved the consumption of alcohol by the victim and/or the perpetrator. Studies have also found that men who belong to fraternities are more likely to engage in attempted rapes and use drugs and alcohol as a sexual strategy than did "independents." For the 2005 school year for the A&M - Commerce campus, the UPD's crime statistic page shows 12 reported sex offenses which is lower than the national average of most universities.

If you are sexually assaulted on campus, the UPD website tells you several ways that UPD can help you. First of all, they will take you to a hospital and arrange for a rape crisis counselor to talk with and help you. They can offer to prosecute your crime without revealing your name. And, they can help you go somewhere to take care of your emotional needs. In addition