Two years ago when she woke up in her dorm room with the horrible realization she had been raped the previous night, the MSU junior said it was almost impossible to confide in her suitemate, and eventually the police.

But on Wednesday, the student stood in front of more than 100 Haslett High School freshmen and sophomores to tell her story — in hopes her words could prevent others from being assaulted or help them find the strength to report the crime.

The student, who asked that her name not be used for privacy, had gone out with friends in April 2004, had several drinks and returned to Case Hall where she fell asleep alone with the door closed, but unlocked. Several hours later, she was woken up by a man she didn't recognize who forced himself on her despite her repeated efforts to stop him and say "no."

"I felt it was my fault for a long time," she said. "Why didn't I lock my door like everyone tells me to? But in the grand scheme, I could have had my door wide open and no one should have come in and done that to me."

The petite, 20-year-old junior shifted positions, paused and looked out at the crowd.

The room, filled with boys and girls mostly 15 and 16 years old, was silent as she spoke. No one jostled, passed notes or whispered to friends.

The MSU junior's talk was part of the high school's segment on sex education. Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III and East Lansing police Detective Tresha Rodriguez joined the MSU junior to explain sexual assault, at-risk populations, preventative efforts and the criminal process. It was the MSU student's second presentation at the school.

The student is one of the few women who choose to report the crime, Dunnings said.

The student explained how her suitemate helped her call the police and advised her not to shower, which would wash away any evidence. She went to Lansing's Sparrow Hospital and eventually DNA was used to charge an acquaintance of a friend who she met the day she was assaulted. He pled guilty to criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced in September to three to 15 years in prison.

About 70 percent of sexual assault victims never report the crime, Rodriguez said.

"It makes it difficult for us to put (the attackers) behind bars," she said.

Rodriguez told the high school students that women between the ages of 16 and 24 are more than four times more likely to be raped than any other age group, with half of the crimes committed by someone they know. She advised them to be careful about consuming alcohol, watch their drinks to avoid being drugged and know their surroundings at all times.

"What (the student) did by coming here was very brave," Rodriguez said. "We usually can't get people to report, let alone talk to a roomful of people. Sexual assault is a very challenging topic because no one wants to discuss it."

Phil Rutkowski, a biology teacher at the school, said the MSU junior's discussion of her assault seemed to have an effect on the high school students.

"When she was talking, it was dead silent," Rutkowski said.

He said the teachers would follow up the presentation with an in-class discussion and question-and-answer period.

The student said her decision to report the crime and follow it through a conviction was influenced by her parents' advice.

"'People like him don't learn,'" she said her parents told her. "If I stop it now, this can never happen to another girl, at least from him."

In the end, the embarrassment of talking about the assault was outweighed by the relief that her attacker was punished.

"For a lot of people, they say, 'Should I convict this guy … or hide it?'" the student said. "It's really important to go. Once you get it done, it's a great feeling."

Elizabeth Piet can be reached at pieteliz@msu.edu.