How common are sexual assaults on college campuses? According to the ABC News website, approximately one in five women are victims of rape or attempted rape, and only a slim percentage of them actually report the experience. Many women are often talked too, by parents and college campus staff, about campus rapes and how to prevent being put into that type of situation. Although we, as students, like to believe that we know how to prevent being sexually assaulted by a peer, without talking to others, it is often not that simple.
With one in five women being victims of rape or attempted rape on college campuses, it makes you wonder if college campuses are really doing everything possible in order to prevent rapes from occurring. In a study conducted by the Center of Public Integrity, thirty-three female students who reported being sexually assaulted by another student were interviewed about their experience and the aftermath of the crime that had been committed. Just over half of the thirty-three women stated that their attacker had been found responsible for the sexual assault, and only four of the student victims said that the findings of sexual assault led to an expulsion (Center of Public Integrity, 2010). These numbers are devastating. While victims are left with a tremendous amount of guilt, tragedy, sadness, and other emotions, most of their attackers are merely “slapped on the wrist” and allowed to continue attending the school. As a result of this low rate of expulsion, many victims often feel responsible for the experience and often drop out of school while their attacker ends up graduating (Center of Public Integrity, 2010). This is why the percentage of reporting rapes is so low. Of those thirty-three women interviewed, a third of them stated that school administrators discouraged them from pursuing complaints (USA Today, 2009). Victims often do not receive the support they need after experiencing sexual assault. This is one reason why forty-two percent of rapes are never reported (Rape on College Campuses, 2001-2002). Victims need to be reassured that they can receive support and help from not only their parents and friends, but by the campus where the criminal act took place.
The video below was shown on ABC Nightline a little over a month ago. A young woman, Megan, had been sexually assaulted in her dorm building and received minimal support from the college:
A major cause of sexual assault within our college campus has to do with the experimentation with drugs and alcohol. This experimentation leads twenty-five percent of all college students to have poor judgment, and makes it one of the top causes of rape on college campuses. Once sexually assaulted, a victim is often left feeling responsible, guilty and ashamed. Because of these feelings, rape is often underreported by the victims. When rape is left unreported, attackers often feel empowered and may go on committing other sexual assaults (Rape on College Campuses, 2001-2002).
Rape is an uncomfortable subject that no one wants to discuss. It is crucial that we realize that it is an issue within our campuses, and in order to prevent rapes students should be encouraged to walk in groups, especially during the night hours. College campus staff should be required to show students the emergency call boxes on campus, and most importantly, students should be informed that they can come forward and speak to someone if they have been sexually assaulted. Although we, as individuals, must watch over ourselves while at parties and hanging around campus late at night, it is essential for students to feel confident and comfortable to come forward and notify others that they have been sexually assaulted.
References
The Center for Public Integrity: http://www.publicintegrity.org/investigations/campus_assault/articles/entry/1945/
Video: ABC Nightline: Campus Assaults: Widespread, Underreported: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/college-campus-assaults-constant-threat/story?id=11410988
USA Today: Report: Universities try to cover up rapes: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-03-college-rapes_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Rapes on College Campuses: www.bxscience.edu/publications/forensics/rapeFINAL.ppt
College campus sexual assaults is an extremely important subject that many people overlook. With the recent string of sexual assaults on our own campus, this topic is worth paying attention to. I agree that many college campuses need a refresher on how to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their students.
ReplyDelete