Despite progress being made in the fight against sexual assault on college campuses, it remains a depressingly common occurrence and it doesn't help that people are not good about talking when it really matters.
Let's change that today by looking at eight facts about sexual assault at college, for better and worse, to see what we're collectively doing about this problem.
1. As many as one out of four female college students report unwanted sexual conduct
Incidents of unwanted sexual contact on college campuses are almost certainly more common than you think. In 2015, the Association of American Universities (AAU) conducted a study of 27 college campuses in the U.S. It found that 23.1% of female college students reported sexual misconduct or assault, sexual contact after incapacitation or threats of same at some point before graduation.
The AAU plans to conduct a follow-up study in 2019 to see whether this benchmark has shifted with the political climate.
2. Rates of sexual assault reporting are exceptionally low in many places
The AAU's 2015 survey didn't just turn up significant numbers of sexual assault victims. It also revealed how common it is for survivors to keep their story to themselves without reporting the incident to campus authorities or the police.
According to the survey, reporting rates for this type of incident varies wildly from place to place, with some surveyed colleges as low as 5%. Of the colleges included in the study, not one claimed a reporting rate higher than 28%.
3. Colleges are hiring staff to deal with sexual assault and misconduct
Although the news from the AAU's survey wasn't exactly heartening, colleges everywhere have cited that report and others in their decisions to take a more pro-active role in the fight against campus sexual assault. One way this has manifested noticeably is in the rush to fully staff on-campus Title IX dispute resolution centers — in Harvard's case — or create brand-new staff positions — in Tulane University's case.
Tulane created the roles of assistant director of fraternity life as well as a health outreach specialist. Both are educational roles that will focus on educating students on campus, especially young men, about how much broader the definition of sexual assault is than many believe.
4. Not all solutions are equally popular
The fight against campus sexual assault has been a long and protracted one — and there's still a lot of work to do. Unfortunately, not every proposed solution has been met with the same level of enthusiasm among faculty professors and staff.
One prime example is the aforementioned Title IX, which includes instructions for "responsible employees" about mandatory reporting. If college employees overhear or are told about an incident that sounds like sexual assault, they must report it.
This is a well-intentioned rule, but some faculty members worry it will have a chilling effect on the number of students coming forward to staff. If employees are required to report such conversations, the worry goes, students will stop seeking confidantes altogether.
They may worry their story will be told before they're ready or in a way they're not comfortable with. In 2013, the American Association of University Professors published a report that called for professors to be exempt from mandated reporter status.
5. At college, sexual violence is more common than theft
If there's one statistic that can help put the college sexual assault situation in context, it's the fact that it's a more common crime on university campuses than robbery. When we look at all women in society, we see that there are five incidents of theft for every four sexual assaults. At college, there are twice as many sexual assaults as thefts.
6. Some states are drawing up new training policies for employers
Many employers, including colleges and universities, are increasingly beholden to higher expectations when it comes to educating faculty about sexual harassment. In 2018, New York passed legislation requiring employers to adopt the state's training paradigm or come up with their own that covers the same ground.
This is an encouraging sign that attitudes and approaches are changing at every level of society. Children who come from homes where sexual morality isn't well understood should be able to count on responsible school districts willing to fill some of the gaps.
For the hopefully rare cases where colleges aren't meeting expectations, there are responsible employers and state training guidelines. This means we have a patchwork of federal, state and employer-level policies, but it's clear this conversation now encompasses all of society.
7. Most sexual abusers never face consequences for their actions
Societywide, the unfortunate truth is that most abusers and perpetrators of sexual assault never see jail time or face the consequences of their actions. According to RAINN, out of every 1,000 sexual assaults, 995 perpetrators will never atone for their crimes.
If college campus sexual assault is a perfect storm, it's because years of habit have caused us to shy away from talking about the problem. We chalk up bad behavior to "boys being boys" and blame victims for their own misfortune. We've made progress, clearly, but it's still equally obvious that this topic makes us uncomfortable. We make it very difficult indeed for the victims to seek a sympathetic ear, or for the perpetrators to face justice.
8. Sexual violence is down 50% since 1993
It's easy to get caught up in stories about survivors or hear about the number of women coming forward about their abusers and assume that things aren't improving — or that they're getting worse.
To close this list on a positive note, let's reflect on the fact that sexual violence has dropped by a full 63 percent since 1993. In '93, there were 4.3 assaults for every 1,000 people. In 2016, that number was down to 1.2 for every 1,000 people.
There have been ups and downs in the numbers over the years, but this is a positive trajectory and a testament to the power of coming together to speak about one of humanity's oldest problems.
There's a lot more work that needs doing, such as fully staffing on-campus resolution centers and making sure students receive comprehensive education on the mechanics of sex and the purpose of consent.
