Off-Campus Living - The University of Missouri

Missouri Landlord and Tennant Laws
Do’s and Don’ts for the Immediate Care of a Drunk Person
BAC Charts
eChug
Information on Binge Drinking
Alcohol Posioning
Personal Safety
Fire Safety
Tips on Helping a Friend who has been Raped
Working With Police
Important Phone Numbers

Missouri Landlord and Tennant Laws

Don’ts

Don’t give the person any drugs (not even aspirin) to try to sober them up.
Don’t give the person coffee, tea or any other food or liquid to sober them up.
Don’t give them a cold shower. The shock could cause them to pass out and injure themselves.
Don’t try to walk, run, or exercise the person.
Don’t attempt to keep the person awake.
Don’t try to constrain the person.

Do’s

Calmly, explain to the person what you doing to them
Get the person to bed and comfortable (confront their behavior later)
If the person is in bed, make you lay them on their side.
Check on the person as much as possible.
While dealing with the person, be calm and reassuring. Speak clearly to them and reinforce that you are trying to help.

In any case where a person seems to be in a medically dangerous condition, such as being injured, unable to breath, passed our and having low or no respiration CALL 911. The person may turn out not to need it, but it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry. If the person is unmanageable (aggressive, etc), it is appropriate to call the police for help.>

When you call for help:

1. Identify yourself.
2. State your problem and what you feel you need.
3. Give your specific location and your phone number. (AND be there when help arrives, if at all possible.)

Women, click here for a downloadable PDF. Men, click here.
Online Blood Alcohol Content calculator:
http://www.baecdrom.org/bae/program<

Click here to launch e-Chug!

Is it Serious?
College presidents agree binge drinking is the most serious problem on campus.
In 1999, Harvard University’s School of Public Health College Alcohol Study surveyed students at 119 colleges. Here are some of the findings:

Who Binges?

44% of U.S. college students engaged in binge drinking during the two weeks before the survey.
51% of the MEN drank 5 or more drinks in a row
40% of the WOMEN drank 4 or more drinks in a row
Students more likely to binge drink are white, age 23 or younger, and are residents of a fraternity or sorority. If they were binge drinkers in high school, they were three times more likely to binge in college.
The percentage of students who were binge drinkers was nearly uniform from freshman to senior year, even though students under 21 are prohibited from purchasing alcohol.
Over half the binge drinkers, almost one in four students, were frequent binge drinkers, that is, they binged three or more times in a two-week period. While one in five students reported abstaining from drinking alcohol.

Why?
Binge drinkers cited the following as important reasons for drinking:

Drinking to get drunk (cited by 47% of students who consumed alcohol)
Status associated with drinking
Culture of alcohol consumption on campus
Peer pressure & academic stress

WHAT EFFECTS?
A higher percentage of binge drinkers than non-binge drinkers reported having experienced alcohol-related problems since the beginning of the school year. Frequent binge drinkers were 21 times more likely than non-binge drinkers to have:

Missed class
Fallen behind in school work
Damaged property
Been hurt or injured
Engaged in unplanned sexual activity
Not used protection when having sex
Gotten in trouble with campus police
Driven a car after drinking

Impact on Other Students
About three out of four students responding to the study reported experiencing at least one adverse consequence of another student’s drinking during the school year. At colleges with a high binge drinking rates:

71% had sleep or study interrupted
57% had to take care of an intoxicated student
36% had been insulted or humiliated
23% had experienced an unwanted sexual
23% had a serious argument
16% had property damaged
11% had been pushed, hit or assaulted
1% had been the victim of a sexual advance Assault or "date rape"

Implications of the Survey
Binge drinking is a widespread phenomenon on most college campuses, a problem that not only interferes with the mission of higher education but also carries with it serious risks of disease, injury, and death. Findings from the Harvard survey suggest that college and university administrators will want to intensify their search for new approaches to preventing both underage and binge drinking.
Updated March 2000
For more information on the The Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study, click here.
http://www.cspinet.org/booze/collfact1.htm

The person is probably OK if:

You can maintain some interaction/communication for at least sixty seconds.
Person is conscious (and possibly throwing up): indicates involuntary functions are working
Person can respond: verbally, shows movement.
Because the effects of the alcohol consumed may take some time to effect different body centers (as many drinkers often leave a party or bar taking one or two more drinks “for the road”), the person should be monitored even if they appear to be OK.

The person is NOT OK if:

Person is unconscious/semi-conscious and can not be woken up or respond.
Vomiting while sleeping or passed out and not waking up after.
Has cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin.
If breathing is slow, less than 8-9 breaths per minute or irregular with 10 seconds or more between breaths.
If person is not breathing.
If alcohol poisoning is suspected, it is strongly recommended that emergency medical attention be sent for immediately.

What to do

First try to determine whether the person is at all attentive. Are they unconscious? Can they be awakened? Try and call their name. Pinch their skin to see if there is a reaction.
Check for signs of trouble including weak pulse, clammy skin, or poor color.
Check the person’s breathing. Call for medical help immediately if you have any doubts or if the person’s breathing is less than eight times per minute or there is more than ten seconds in between breaths.
Do not let the person sleep on their back.
Turn them over on their side and place a pillow between their legs and extend one arm.
Do not leave the person alone. Only leave them to make an emergency call.
Do not try to walk the person.
Do not try to keep the person awake.
Do not give them a cold shower.
There is NO fast way to sober a person up. Only time – one hour per drink.
Remember there are NO absolutes. Everyone is different. However, it is ALWAYS better to error towards safety. People’s lives could be on the line.

Before the event:

Use the buddy system: Make sure you and your guests are aware that everyone that comes together, leaves together, no matter how much the individual protests.
Establish a signal or code word with other members of your committee, security, or organizations to help you out in an awkward situation.
Personally set limits and help your friends set limits to the amount of alcohol that they will consume and make sure to stick with them.

During the social event:

Trust your instincts! Keep an eye about your surroundings to see what is occurring around you.
Look out for your guests as well as your friends.
Don’t be afraid to interrupt or to make a scene.
Hold your friend’s drink as well as encourage your guests to look after their friend’s drinks when he or she has to leave the drink.
If you do leave your drink unattended, for even a short while, ask for a new one.

After the social event:

Leave together, even if you have to stay after for clean up.
Have your keys ready when you are going to get into your car (only if you have not been drinking).
Take care of your intoxicated friends.
If you need a FREE safe ride home (whether or not you were drinking) call STRIPES.

The tips above have been excerpted UC Davis’s Smart Party Initiative website.
http://safeparty.ucdavis.edu/partier/personal-safety.html

Fire can spread incredibly fast. A good, working smoke detector should alert you in time to get out. Don't try to fight the fire or round up valuables, just GET OUT, CALL 911 and STAY OUT!

Make sure you have enough smoke detectors and that they work
- One on each floor
- One in each bedroom
- Check weekly; install fresh batteries every 6 months
Do not remove batteries to stop false alarms-fan smoke away instead
Make sure cigarettes are extinguished. Don't smoke in bed.
Be very, very careful with space heaters.
Don't overload electrical circuits. If you need to plug multiple appliances into an outlet, use a fused power strip.
Keep flammable materials at least 3 feet away from water heaters, furnaces and other sources of flames
Don't use a grill on a porch or within 20 feet of a building.
Don't store gasoline, lighter fluid, etc. inside your house or apartment.
Put out candles and incense when unattended.
Extinguish all smoking materials thoroughly.
Clean up immediately after parties and take all trash outside.
Do not leave food unattended on the stove or in the microwave.
Plan your escape routes in case fire does strike.
Make sure all exit doors are unlocked and not obstructed.
Know two ways out of your apartment, especially from bedroom.

http://firesafety.osu.edu/safetytips.asp

What everyone should know about helping a friend, partner or family member who has been raped or sexually assaulted.

What can I do?

Support, listen and believe her. You need to let her know that what happened to her was wrong and that it’s not her fault.
Express concern for her physical and emotional safety. Ask what her needs are and how you can help.
Learn about resources available to her.
Assure her confidentiality.

Often we want to help, but we can sometimes be insensitive to a survivor’s needs without really intending to do so. The three most important things are to SUPPORT, LISTEN, and BELIEVE. There are some things that we can say that unintentionally convey the wrong message. Here are a few things not to say to a survivor:

“Why didn’t you fight?” or “You shouldn’t have gone to his room.”
(Or anything that questions the actions of the survivor.) These types of statements send the message that the survivor could have done something to avoid the attack and that is her fault. One should not question a survivor’s actions. Freezing, submitting, and fighting are ALL natural responses to being attacked.

“Were you drunk?”
This sends the message that the survivor is partially responsible for the attack. Intoxication does not excuse a perpetrator’s actions, nor does it make the survivor responsible for being assaulted.

“I’ll kill the guy who did this to you!”
While anger is a natural reaction, it can be very harmful. The victim has faced one person whose anger was out of control and must now try to calm down another person so that there won’t be more violence. She may feel responsible for upsetting you, thus discouraging her from being able to talk about what happened to her.

“You should go to the police.”
Although going to the police might be a step in the healing process for the survivor, it should be her decision to do so. Allowing her to make decisions to disclose to others or seek services will help the survivor gain back control that was taken away.

Common Reactions
This is a list of some of the common reactions victims/survivors may experience as a result of sexual assault. Each individual will react in her own way. There is no “right” way to react.

Physical Reactions

Fatigue

Difficulty sleeping

Nightmares

Jitteriness

Changes in appetite

Headaches

Cognitive Reactions

Difficulty concentrating

Difficulty making decisions

Memory disturbances

Flashbacks

Emotional Reactions

Fear

Depression

Helplessness

Isolation

Emotional numbing

Guilt, self blame

Anxiety

Anger

*These are normal reactions and, although painful, are parts of the healing process.

Your Reaction
There are some common reactions you may experience when learning your friend has been sexually assaulted. You may also experience a range of other emotions. Family and friends may be the best support for a victim/survivor.

Disbelief: Family and friends may react to the sexual assault of a loved one with shock and disbelief, especially if there are no visible signs of the attack. You may even doubt that the assault happened. This is called “denial” and it happens after a traumatic experience.

Fear: You may feel intense fear for yourself or for the survivor. You may want to protect her from future assault. Your concern may be reassuring soon after the assault, but too much caution on your part can make it difficult for the survivor to feel capable and in control again.

Depression: It is normal to feel sad or depressed. Sexual assault can bring up feelings of powerlessness in victims and those who love them. You may feel that your life is out of control. If depression lasts longer than a few weeks or becomes overwhelming, seek support for yourself.

Guilt: Guilt is a common reaction when a loved one has been sexually assaulted. Those closest to the survivor may blame themselves. Whatever you did or did not do, you are not to blame. It is solely the fault of the perpetrator. Instead of blaming yourself, concentrate on the positive things you can do now.

Anger: Often loved ones experience anger after a sexual assault. Your first reaction may be to seek revenge against the attacker. This is a normal feeling, but you will not help yourself or the survivor if you are hurt or in jail. Sometimes you may feel anger towards the survivor, especially if she did something you warned her not to do. If you find yourself blaming the survivor for the assault, make sure that you have someone other than the survivor who can listen to your angry feelings. Remember, even if the survivor used poor judgment; it is the attacker who is responsible.

http://www.missouri.edu/~stulife/rape-ed/resources.php?page_id=resources

Having a Party? Are the Police Invited?

How to avoid getting their attention:

Know everyone there.
Don't open up your party to the general public or people you don't know. They do not always have your best interest in mind. Make sure those under 21 are not consuming intoxicants.

Keep the size of your party reasonable.
You have no way of monitoring the behavior of too many guests. Most of the time it is the behavior of the guests that attracts our attention.

Be a responsible host.
A host should maintain the ability to monitor the behavior, health, and safety of the guests and be able to identify and report emergencies.

Monitor the Noise Level.
Typically parties are called to our attention because of excessive noise. Keep music and voices at a reasonable volume. What is "reasonable" has been determined by city ordinance as 100 feet from the source between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. and 50 feet from the source between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Don't become a Bar.
If you are selling alcohol, or charging admission to enter your home to drink (selling cups to enter), you have become a bar and are selling/dispensing alcohol without a permit.

Keep alcohol inside or on your property.
Discourage your guests from leaving your home with open containers of intoxicants. If they are on the street with their drinks, they can be issued a citation and will attract our attention to your party.

What to do when we show up...

Have all tenants that are present contact us.
We are generally there because of a complaint, but may have other reasons to contact you. Refusing to contact us will not avoid a citation. We may go away, but we intend to contact you on following days. You can be cited later and the additional time we spend making contact with you will be reported to the Municipal Judge.

Be Cooperative.
Bring identification with you when you contact us. Ask your guests to avoid trying to influence our decisions. Our experience is that they are rarely effective advocates. Debating the merits of a citation is best accomplished in court when no one has been drinking.

Be prepared to shut down the party and take responsibility for party goers’ actions.

Turn down music immediately.

Guidelines for Keeping your Party Safe...

Offer non-alcoholic beverages and food.
This is just a matter of being a good host. Some people can't or don't want to drink alcohol.

Don't let intoxicated guests drive home or leave alone.
You have assumed some responsibility for their behavior by serving them. Call Stripes or a Cab.

Use common sense.
Getting intoxicated can be dangerous. Monitor the behavior of your guests and avoid overserving them.

Attend parties with friends and never walk home alone.
If your guest(s) walk home, encourage the use of a buddy system.

Possible Fines/Consequences:
Fines could reach up to $1000 for each offense. Your landlord will be notified and you could be evicted

*STRIPES will take you where you want to go and they don't care if you've been drinking--available Thursday through Saturday 10 p.m. to 3am.
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Police/Programs/Crime_Free/crime_free_multi-housing.php
*all information above was taken word-for-word from website

ALL emergencies: 911
Columbia Police Department NON-emergency: 573-442-6131
MU Police Department NON-emergency: 573-882-7201
The Shelter Crisis Hotline: 573-875-1370 or 1-800-548-2480
The Women’s Center: 573-882-6621
MU Counseling Center: 573-882-6601
MU Rape Education Office: 573-882-6638
MU Wellness Resource Center: 573-882-4634
MU Student Health Center: 573-882-7481
SHAPE (Sexual Health Advocates Peer Education): 573-882-1417
STRIPES (free safe ride home from bars in Columbia): 573- 442-9672
RAINN National Hotline (Connects to nearest crisis hotline): 1-800-656-HOPE
Center For Student Involvement: 573-882-3780
MU Disability Services: 573-882-4696
MU LGBT Resource Center: 573-884-7750
MU Multicultural Center: 573-882-7152
University Hospital and Clinics: 573-882-4141
Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 573-634-4161
Victim Advocate for Sexual Assault/ Rape (Mark): 573-886-4135
Family Counseling Center: 573-449-2581
Planned Parenthood Clinic: 573-443-0427 Ed./Admin. 573-449-2475
Mid-Missouri Crisis Line: 1-800-395-2132