Sexual Assault On Campus
Among issues of campus safety, sexual assault has become a big problem. This issue of sexual assault has recently gained more media attention as prevalence rate and statistics have risen and politicians have started to address the disconnect between victims and school administrators. Statistics for sexual assault on college campuses are surprising, but most incidents go unreported for various reasons. Last month, President Obama launched his “It’s On Us” campaign in order to shed light on this problem and provide solutions to campuses and victims across the United States.
According to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s online article, rape is the most common violent crime committed on American college campuses. This article also provides many statistics relating to the prevalence of rape and sexual assault on college campuses. 1 in 4 college women will be the victim of sexual assault at some point throughout her academic career. Also, these women are most vulnerable to rape during the first weeks of their freshman and sophomore years of college. A rape occurs on an American college campus …show more content…
every 21 hours. And lastly, 75% of men and 55% of women report drinking alcohol or taking drugs just before the sexual assault occurred. This last statistic suggests that the use of alcohol and drugs may play a role in these sexual assaults. These numbers are staggering when considering the amount of college women that will be affected by rape or sexual assault while attending college.
Despite these statistics, it should be noted that rape on college campuses is widely underreported. A 2007 survey found that out of 5,446 undergraduate women and 1,375 undergraduate men at two large public universities, only 13% of “physically forced” victims reported the sexual assault crimes to law enforcement. In an article published by Time Magazine, journalist Eliza Gray explores the reasons why most victims don’t report these sexual crimes. Most of these victims are scared of what will happen if anyone finds out about the crime and that the victim reported it to authorities. In the same 2007 survey, 42% of the “physically forced” victims said they didn’t report these crimes to law enforcement because they “did not want anyone to know”. This may be from fear of losing friends or becoming a target for further harassment. This study also found that 35% of victims said they did not report the sexual crimes against them because “it was unclear that it was a crime or that harm was intended”. This means that some victims of rape are not completely sure if the specific incident they endured qualifies as sexual assault. Lastly, some victims may not report sexual assault out of fear that law enforcement will not believe them. 21% of physically forced victims from the 2007 survey claimed they didn’t report to law enforcement because they didn’t think their story would be taken seriously or even believed. In conclusion, many victims of rape refuse to report sexual crimes on campus to law enforcement due to fears of people finding out, being uneducated on what constitutes as rape and thinking that they will not be taken seriously or believed.
On September 19 2014, President Obama and Vice President Biden unveiled their initiative to end sexual assaults on college campuses. This campaign, “It’s On Us”, has used major college sports leagues and prominent celebrities to shed light on the issue of rape on college campuses and help colleges more effectively protect students. This campaign was developed by the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. As part of this new effort, the Justice Department Office on Violence Against Women will give grants of up to $6 million to 18 universities to develop campus sexual assault prevention and response programs. President Obama has also sent guidance to every school district, college and university that receives federal funding regarding their legal obligation to prevent campus rape and also respond to sexual assault, according to an article on the White House website. The president has also promised to review existing laws to make sure they adequately protect sexual assault victims. The “Its On Us” campaign is a newly developed initiative by the Obama administration in an effort to stop rape on college campuses by educating these schools on their responsibilities, giving grants to develop prevention and response programs as well as using celebrities to make public service announcements to encourage students to join the fight against sexual assault on college campuses.
Many researchers have stated that as many as 1 in 4 women will experience sexual assault during their time on a college or university campus. These statistics will only continue to rise unless school administrators team up with law enforcement and find ways to prevent and respond to sexual assault cases. Colleges and universities should encourage victims to come forward if they have experienced sexual assault and have policies in place and professionals on campus to handle these situations. The “It’s On Us” campaign launched by President Obama to stop rape on college campuses should aid in the development of prevention programs and response strategies.
While sexual assault is a high concern, there are various other violence issues that need to be focused on. Property thefts are an issue nationwide, and colleges are no exception. In an article, the author Andrea Hermitt states that crimes against college students “on and off” campus became so common that numerous college agencies met to create a task force to combat these crimes. Theft is an ongoing issue that goes unreported and they have been on the rise on campuses everywhere. Students must take precautions especially because most thefts are crimes of convenience. In the 2010 online article, it is stated that the university of Oklahoma police department reported “over $30,000 in stolen properties”, during the fall semester alone. It is suggested by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners that students get renters insurance. By locking your dorm, becoming familiar with the campus and areas around, participating in a self-defense course, and keeping close eye on your valuables, you are also helping yourself stay clear of theft, violence, and unneeded stress. +
Works Cited
Eilperin, Juliet.
Seeking to end rape on campus, White House launches ‘It’s On Us’. The Washington Post, Sep. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/09/19/seeking-to-end-rape-on-campus-wh-launches-its-on-us/
Gray, Eliza. Why victims of rape in college don’t report to the police. Time Magazine, Jun. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. http://time.com/2905637/campus-rape-assault-prosecution/
“Sexual Violence on College Campuses.” Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. Web. http://www.clevelandrapecrisis.org/uploads/Sitepage/Sexual%20Violence%20on%20College%20Campuses.pdf
Somanader, Tanya. President Obama launches the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign to end sexual assault on campus. The White House Blog, Sep. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/19/president-obama-launches-its-us-campaign-end-sexual-assault-campus
According to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s online article, rape is the most common violent crime committed on American college campuses. This article also provides many statistics relating to the prevalence of rape and sexual assault on college campuses. 1 in 4 college women will be the victim of sexual assault at some point throughout her academic career. Also, these women are most vulnerable to rape during the first weeks of their freshman and sophomore years of college. A rape occurs on an American college campus …show more content…
every 21 hours. And lastly, 75% of men and 55% of women report drinking alcohol or taking drugs just before the sexual assault occurred. This last statistic suggests that the use of alcohol and drugs may play a role in these sexual assaults. These numbers are staggering when considering the amount of college women that will be affected by rape or sexual assault while attending college.
Despite these statistics, it should be noted that rape on college campuses is widely underreported. A 2007 survey found that out of 5,446 undergraduate women and 1,375 undergraduate men at two large public universities, only 13% of “physically forced” victims reported the sexual assault crimes to law enforcement. In an article published by Time Magazine, journalist Eliza Gray explores the reasons why most victims don’t report these sexual crimes. Most of these victims are scared of what will happen if anyone finds out about the crime and that the victim reported it to authorities. In the same 2007 survey, 42% of the “physically forced” victims said they didn’t report these crimes to law enforcement because they “did not want anyone to know”. This may be from fear of losing friends or becoming a target for further harassment. This study also found that 35% of victims said they did not report the sexual crimes against them because “it was unclear that it was a crime or that harm was intended”. This means that some victims of rape are not completely sure if the specific incident they endured qualifies as sexual assault. Lastly, some victims may not report sexual assault out of fear that law enforcement will not believe them. 21% of physically forced victims from the 2007 survey claimed they didn’t report to law enforcement because they didn’t think their story would be taken seriously or even believed. In conclusion, many victims of rape refuse to report sexual crimes on campus to law enforcement due to fears of people finding out, being uneducated on what constitutes as rape and thinking that they will not be taken seriously or believed.
On September 19 2014, President Obama and Vice President Biden unveiled their initiative to end sexual assaults on college campuses. This campaign, “It’s On Us”, has used major college sports leagues and prominent celebrities to shed light on the issue of rape on college campuses and help colleges more effectively protect students. This campaign was developed by the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. As part of this new effort, the Justice Department Office on Violence Against Women will give grants of up to $6 million to 18 universities to develop campus sexual assault prevention and response programs. President Obama has also sent guidance to every school district, college and university that receives federal funding regarding their legal obligation to prevent campus rape and also respond to sexual assault, according to an article on the White House website. The president has also promised to review existing laws to make sure they adequately protect sexual assault victims. The “Its On Us” campaign is a newly developed initiative by the Obama administration in an effort to stop rape on college campuses by educating these schools on their responsibilities, giving grants to develop prevention and response programs as well as using celebrities to make public service announcements to encourage students to join the fight against sexual assault on college campuses.
Many researchers have stated that as many as 1 in 4 women will experience sexual assault during their time on a college or university campus. These statistics will only continue to rise unless school administrators team up with law enforcement and find ways to prevent and respond to sexual assault cases. Colleges and universities should encourage victims to come forward if they have experienced sexual assault and have policies in place and professionals on campus to handle these situations. The “It’s On Us” campaign launched by President Obama to stop rape on college campuses should aid in the development of prevention programs and response strategies.
While sexual assault is a high concern, there are various other violence issues that need to be focused on. Property thefts are an issue nationwide, and colleges are no exception. In an article, the author Andrea Hermitt states that crimes against college students “on and off” campus became so common that numerous college agencies met to create a task force to combat these crimes. Theft is an ongoing issue that goes unreported and they have been on the rise on campuses everywhere. Students must take precautions especially because most thefts are crimes of convenience. In the 2010 online article, it is stated that the university of Oklahoma police department reported “over $30,000 in stolen properties”, during the fall semester alone. It is suggested by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners that students get renters insurance. By locking your dorm, becoming familiar with the campus and areas around, participating in a self-defense course, and keeping close eye on your valuables, you are also helping yourself stay clear of theft, violence, and unneeded stress. +
Works Cited
Eilperin, Juliet.
Seeking to end rape on campus, White House launches ‘It’s On Us’. The Washington Post, Sep. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/09/19/seeking-to-end-rape-on-campus-wh-launches-its-on-us/
Gray, Eliza. Why victims of rape in college don’t report to the police. Time Magazine, Jun. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. http://time.com/2905637/campus-rape-assault-prosecution/
“Sexual Violence on College Campuses.” Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. Web. http://www.clevelandrapecrisis.org/uploads/Sitepage/Sexual%20Violence%20on%20College%20Campuses.pdf
Somanader, Tanya. President Obama launches the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign to end sexual assault on campus. The White House Blog, Sep. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/19/president-obama-launches-its-us-campaign-end-sexual-assault-campus