The Influence Of Sexual Assault On College Campuses

When 30% of college-attending women report being sexually harassed during their years on campus, it becomes much more obvious that this is an issue that goes ignored far too often. In a world where women are criticized for every move they make, it’s no wonder that only 20% of the victims come forward about their assault. Although many people are aware of it, it seems that there is not much being done to prevent sexual assault and harassment on school campuses.
The stigma around sexual assault and harassment is one that needs to be done away with; what is happening to women every day is far scarier than talking about the issue. According to studies from RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), women aged 18-24 are at an elevated risk of sexual violence, whether or not they are a student. This problem needs to faced head on; nowhere
seems to be safe from harassment. Not college campuses, not high schools, not even middle or grade school. Even here at Lewiston High School, female students face derogatory comments and obscene gestures from peers, making it just another place where they feel unsafe and preyed upon.
Secondly, sexual harassment on campuses is an issue that many victims are now coming forward about in light of the Harvey Weinstein reports. Actress Lucia Evans was a college student in 2004 when she was raped by Weinstein. She was 22. He was ____. Evans withheld this information for 13 years and she only gets closure now; how many victims could have been be brought justice if they came forward against their attacker? An AAU study reports that “three-fourths of women do not report the assault to anyone in authority, let alone law enforcement.” Often enough, the reason given for not reporting an assault is that the victim feels that they will not be taken seriously. Unfortunately, this is a common reality. Take Taylor Swift’s sexual harassment case for an example. At a meet-and-greet in June 2013, Swift was groped by DJ David Mueller, and she only came forward this summer. Why wait four years when you have a platform and Hollywood power on your side? The backlash. Many called Swift “money-hungry” and criticized her for her silence during the Women’s March.
Some would argue that sexual assault on campuses is not as big as an issue that women make it out to be, however, one need only look at statistics to determine how few cases are reported.
Then of the ones that are reported, how few proceed to prosecution. Part of the challenge in addressing the issue of sexual assault is addressing our archaic beliefs about women's behavior and how it forms ideas that women are somehow to blame for their assault. Was was she wearing; how short was her dress? Was she drinking beforehand? She was flirting with him, so she must have secretly wanted it. She didn’t scream ‘no’, she only said it. The message wasn’t strong enough; I didn’t think she really meant it.
One possible solution to the mismanagement of sexual assault on campus is to require every university to have a policy in which every alleged assault, regardless of victim or perpetrator, and regardless of the gravity of the assault, will be reported to law enforcement immediately. All assaults will be given its own incident report that will be kept in a permanent file at the university.
Sexual assault and harassment on campus is an
issue