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It's the heart of the high school football season, thousands of kids flock to area stadiums to watch games and be with friends and with the football season comes the fall season which means earlier sunsets.
Girls aged 16 to 19 are four times more likely than the general population to become victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. Women and girls in Omaha said their key to avoiding becoming that statistic is having a game plan ahead of time.
In the crisp air of a Friday night, the spirit of high school football permeated through the fans at Benson High School. They came to watch the Bunnies take on the Westside Warriors.
In an almost subconscious routine, cars lined up at the gate and teens jumped out to head off to the game. It's a scene that unfolded all across the metro and it was how freshmen Jasmyn Ross and Taya Kellogg got here.
"Usually when I come to a Westside game, I come with friends. My mom just tells me to watch my surroundings and be careful and if anything happens, walk away and not towards it,” Kellogg said,
Another key was communicating among family members.
"Before this game we talked about being safe, just staying with our friends and not going out by ourselves and stuff,” Ross said.
It's an unfortunate fact of life for many women, understanding the potential risk of being attacked, especially after the sun sets. And while heading to the car talking on the cell phone may seem like a comforting thought, it’s not.
"My mom always told me don't be on your phone, don't be distracted, pay attention to what's going on around you and if you do feel really nervous, keep your keys in your hands so you can swipe at someone or something, so pay attention to what's going on around you,” Kathy Mark said.
Back at the football game Ross and Kellogg couldn’t wait to cheer on the Westside Warriors and then go home safe. "My mom is over protective, so when I go someplace my mom says you be safe, if you need to go somewhere you need to call me ASAP, don't leave with anyone you don't know,” Kellogg said.
