The response to recent sexual assaults on campus sounds disappointingly familiar article ("Assaults spur discussion," Oct. 14). To stop these "affronts to the State College community," why not focus prevention efforts on men perpetuating the violence?

Tuesday's article outlines a bevy of ways women can "avoid" such attacks, but it never once states that assailants should not commit these crimes, nor does it threaten any substantive consequences for such criminals. Instead, the attention, fault and responsibility are placed on State College women.

The prevention "to do" list from local law enforcement not only implies women can thwart these assaults simply by avoiding dark alleys, but also implies that women are to blame for these crimes due to being drunk, uniformed or not using common sense.

The reality is that regardless of the precautionary steps a woman may take, an assailant determined to attack will.

Most sexual assaults are not committed by strangers in dark alleys, but by acquaintances in familiar surroundings.

But, even if an inebriated woman did walk down a dark alley and was attacked, in no way did she invite such violence.

She is not responsible for the crime committed against her. Precautions can be taken, yes, but sexual assault at Penn State will not end until the blame is placed on the attackers, and harsher consequences established and administered to offenders.