One out of every eight women will be raped while in college and 84 percent of women who are raped know their assailant. As staggering as these statistics sound, they are true, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.Reducing the number of sexual assaults is the goal of FratMANers (Fraternity Men Against Negative Environments and Rape Situations), a peer health education program at San Diego State. It aims to raise awareness about rape while educating students on how to prevent sexual assault and discard rape myths.FratMANers President Phillip Ortiz has been involved with the program for more than three years and praises it as a way to positively affect the community by informing men on how to reduce violence against women.”Being a member of FratMANers is a way to meet peers that care about these issues and raise awareness on campus so that we can prevent rape from happening,” Ortiz said. “We want to break the negative stereotype that fraternities have.”FratMANers is a one-year commitment with two parts. The first semester is a one-unit training course where the participants are taught course material, instructed by guest speakers and trained how to make presentations to their peers.During the second semester of the program, members reach out to the campus community by visiting fraternity houses, male athletic teams, student groups and classrooms in order to advocate safe practices for reducing rape and violence.FratMANers coordinator Lori Bednarchik said the fraternity men involved have taken an active role in embracing the program and sending a positive message.”This program offers fraternity men the opportunity to raise awareness not only about rape, but about the stance they as fraternity men take on the issue,” Bednarchik said. “It is imperative that this program continue.”The FratMANers program is currently looking to recruit new trainees, as the majority of its members are graduating. One of its senior members, Kyle Cliff, said the program needs a bigger task force to spread the word about rape and keep a safe environment on campus.”FratMANers is something that is very beneficial to SDSU,” Cliff said. “We’re trying to keep the program alive.”Ortiz is taking the quest to an even higher level, as he plans to speak at the annual Western Region Greek Association Leadership Conference in April.”Hopefully we can spread the word about FratMANers,” Ortiz said. “From what I gathered at past conferences, there’s no other college program where peers are educating peers on the topic of sexual assault.”To learn more about FratMANers or joining the program, e-mail Bednarchik at lbednarchik@shsmail.sdsu.edu or call 619-594-1800. Student Health Services is currently accepting applications for Spring 2008.