Safety @ Big Show

 

Drug and Alcohol Safety

Although substance use is not allowed nor encouraged, if you do choose to engage in any substance use, please consider the following:

• Keep track of the number of drinks you have (especially the amount of hard liquor). Determine in advance the number of drinks you will consume, and stick to it!

• Pace your drinks to one or less per hour, and avoid drinking games.

• Don’t take (or give) unwanted peer pressure

• Have a designated driver

• Alcohol, drugs, and people perceived to be under the influence of either will not be permitted inside.

• Avoid pre-gaming, drinking, and drugs before Big Show.

  • You'll want to remember this amazing event at CSUN, you won't want to miss your favorite artist, and you wouldn’t want to risk jeopardizing the future of this event.

• Never mix alcohol with other drugs, even those prescribed to you. There is no way to anticipate how your body will react to the mixture. Doing so can cause a serious issue or even be fatal

  • Ecstasy and alcohol together increase the risk of overheating and dangerous dehydration.

  • Cocaine and alcohol combined increase the risk of heart attacks and sudden death.

  • Cannabis mixed with alcohol can lead to unpredictable results, including nausea, vomiting and/or dizziness, and can vary greatly depending on route of administration (smoking vs. eating).

• Use the buddy system to stay safe.

• You never know what you are actually taking. Though distributors may assure you that you are getting a certain drug, there is a high likelihood that this drug has been cut with something else, or is a different drug entirely. This is especially common with pills.

• Test your pills with an affordable drug testing kit, like those sold at dancesafe.org. DISCLAIMER: Drug testing kits do not indicate that a substance is safe. Drug use is never 100% safe.

• Stay hydrated! A good rule of thumb is to drink about two cups of water (500ml) every hour. Be careful to not consume water too quickly - this can cause an electrolyte imbalance that could become fatal. Over hydrating can be dangerous as well.

• If you do not feel well, seek help immediately! DO NOT SLEEP IT OFF. The symptoms of drug overdose can be the same, more exaggerated, or totally different than those of excessive alcohol use.

 

 

For Friends of People Under the Influence

• Monitor your friend, and make sure they are drinking enough water.

• If they are displaying extreme or out of character behavior, get them help. Find a security guard, event staff, or police officer It could be the result of drugs or excessive alcohol in their system, and their health may be at risk.

• By speaking up you could save your friend from serious harm, and could even save their life.

• Narcan: Narcan (naloxone) is available from Klotz Student Health Center. It is used to immediate reverse the effects of opiates when someone is experiencing an overdose. Please follow this link for more information: https://www.csun.edu/shc/narcan

 

 

Sexual Assault Prevention

Classifying Consent:

• Consent is a mutual, affirmative, voluntary, and revocable agreement by each participant to engage in sexual activity. An informed verbal “yes” must accompany positive and engaging body language. Just because they did not say no, does not mean they are saying yes. Remember, consent is like tea! Check out this video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQbei5JGiT8

• The initiator of sexual activity is responsible for receiving consent from their partner. Obtaining consent is a continuous process, meaning consent to kissing doesn’t mean consent to everything else. Consent is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time. Consent must be given without coercion, force, threats or intimidation by the initiator.

• Consent cannot be given when someone is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. However, perpetrators may attempt to use alcohol and/or drugs to facilitate a sexual assault. Statistically, the majority of reported sexual assaults occur while one or both parties are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcohol or drugs is never an excuse for choosing to violate another person.

• There are a number of drugs that may be added to beverages with the intent of altering the consciousness or incapacitating a person without their knowledge. Substances are particularly dangerous when combined with alcohol, and often produce amnesia, leaving a victim unclear about what occurred. These drugs can facilitate criminal activity, most often acts of sexual misconduct or sexual assault.

• Sexual assault is any unwanted, non-consensual behavior from kissing and fondling to rape. Ignorance of the law or of University policy concerning sexual assault, sexual misconduct and sexual harassment is never an excuse for non-consensual sexual behavior.

 

Check out the tips below on how you can help prevent sexual assault:

• Identify common behaviors that often precede an assault. Recognizable red flags include seeing someone who is attempting to separate an intoxicated individual from their friends, or continuing to pour drinks for an individual who is clearly beyond their limit.

• Take action as a responsive bystander if you see those behaviors happening. You can help someone who is intoxicated by reconnecting them with their friends. You can also notify any of the festival volunteers or law enforcement officials on site if you are concerned for someone’s safety and well-being.

• If something happens to a friend, know you can be a responsive bystander by showing your support.

• Listen and believe them. Let them know that you care.

• Remember sexual assault is never the fault of the survivor.

• Be aware of your response and respect their decisions.

• Know the resources and seek support for yourself.