The Red Zone Isn’t Just a Stat. It’s a Season.
From the DARCC Education Department, Maggie Bego, Director of Education
Every fall, college campuses across the country come alive with excitement, new beginnings, and endless possibilities. Beneath the surface of move-in days and first classes, however, another reality exists. It is often unspoken yet deeply important. This period is known as the Red Zone.
The Red Zone refers to the period from the start of the fall semester through Thanksgiving break. The red zone is a time when more than 50% of campus sexual assaults occur (RAINN). First-year students are especially vulnerable as they adjust to new freedoms, environments, and social expectations, often without the support systems they relied on back home (Teen Vogue). Understanding the Red Zone is more than numbers. It’s about recognizing patterns, lifting the silence, and helping students, families, and communities take meaningful action.
Why Does This Happen?
The Red Zone is not caused by isolated events. It is the result of overlapping risk factors that intensify during the early weeks of the fall semester. Party culture, heavy alcohol use, dorm life, and peer pressure all contribute to an environment where harm can occur. Many students also enter college without proper education on consent, boundaries, or how to intervene safely. Many students never hear the term “Red Zone.” When it is mentioned, it’s often a passing comment during orientation or a line in a brochure. The truth is simple. If we don’t name it, we can’t change it. Awareness and education are the first steps towards change.
Key facts to know:
Most survivors know the person who harmed them (NSVRC)
Alcohol is involved in approximately half of all campus sexual assaults (RAINN)
Many assaults occur in social spaces with little oversight, including parties and athletic events (Journal of Interpersonal Violence)
What You Can Do
1. Learn the stats. Share the term.
More than half of assaults occur early in the semester. We need to talk about that.
2. Look out for friends.
Before heading out, make a plan. Set check-ins. Leave together. Pay attention to who stays around others’ drinks or who tries to separate someone from the group.
3. Step in safely. Step in early.
If something feels off, take action. You don’t need to confront someone. Distract. Redirect. Check in.
4. Push your campus to do more.
Prevention must be ongoing. Advocate for trainings, clear policies, and spaces where survivors feel supported.
5. Believe and support survivors.
Your response matters. So does connecting someone to local resources.
Why This Matters Now
The school year will begin next month. Students will return to campus full of hope and excitement, unaware that this season carries risks many have never been warned about. The Red Zone is not just a term. It is a reality that impacts lives across campuses everywhere.
These first few weeks of the semester are critical. This is the time to pay attention, to be present, and to actively look out for one another. Prevention does not happen by accident. It happens through intentional care, through being aware, and through choosing to step in even when it feels uncomfortable. This season gives us an opportunity to change the culture. Let’s take it.