Sexual assaults on campus occur every year, however hundreds go unreported. Studies have proven that one out of every five women experience sexual assault within their time at college. Often times, the university does not want a sexual assault to be identified by the media simply because it will bring upon a bad name to the university.
The Association of American Studies conducted a survey including more than 150,000 students participating from 27 universities. The survey featured Ivy League institutions with the exception of Princeton University, as well as many largely known schools such as University of Florida, Iowa State, and California Institute of Technology, just to name a few. Getting a large clientele, who reported back with powerful results, sexual assault is not something to be overlooked.
In regards to non-consensual sexual conduct, according to The Association of American Studies, the numbers have escalated. In total, 26 percent of students reportedly had experienced it at a point throughout their college experience. Thirty-four percent of female seniors at University of Michigan, 32 percent of students at Yale, and 29 percent of students at Harvard University had reported non-consensual sexual conduct taking place while an individual is intoxicated.
It’s not the victims fault.
Emphasize that "no" means "no." Anything that is not a "yes," is a "no." I know that you may have heard this a thousand times, but I hope every one hears it a thousand times more. Even though this is continuously emphasized, sexual assault rates on college campuses are constant and continue to grow year after year. The Campus Sexual Assault Study, taken by The National Institute of Justice, reported that 88 percent of women have never consumed a drink left unattended and 76 percent have never accepted a drink from a stranger. Eighteen percent of females have experienced attempted sexual assault, while 13 percent experienced completed sexual assault since first entering college. Five percent experienced forced sexual assault while being completely sober, and 11 percent were in a completely incapacitated state during the time the sexual assault took place. These percentages prove that sexual assault is neither a joke nor a thing that only happens in books or movies. These percentages are numerical proof of an unfortunate event that changed someone's life forever.
What you need to know:
Numerous sexual assault studies have proven that sexual assaults are most likely to occur during the months of September through November on Friday or Saturday nights between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. Eighty-eight percent of sexual assault victims were assaulted by people they knew and 79 percent of these victims were physically forced and incapacitated. Whether it be that you have that new student look across your face, or carry a lanyard around your neck, it is proven that freshman and sophomores hold greater risk for victimization than juniors and seniors.
According to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 72 percent of rapes that took place in the past year happened when victims were intoxicated to the point where they were unable to give consent.
This study also proved that women living in sorority houses are three times more likely to experience a sexual assault of any kind. Students living in campus residence halls are at a higher risk for rape or sexual assault in comparison to off-campus residents.
What more universities need to do:
Security Cameras. Security needs to be improved. No student living on campus should feel susceptible to experiencing a threat while walking the campus green or wandering through the halls. A parent of a student who attends Rider University said, “When students come to school they come to learn, and many times, make the university their new home. We pay for our children to be safe and out of harm's way. We want them to enjoy their college years. It is very disheartening that our children, our girls specifically, have to live in fear.”
Having only occurred two years ago, Vanderbilt University, referred by many as the Harvard of the South, experienced an on-campus rape conducted by two former football players: Branden Vandenburg and Corey Batey. This case took a turn like no other because the situation was discovered by security surveillance footage. The Vanderbilt case is just one out of hundreds that could have easily been kept undiscovered, if there had not been video surveillance footage. University prices increase each year and yet thousands of residence halls still are not equipped with security cameras because of funding? It's unfortunate that universities prioritize the safety of the students below the need of getting new uniforms for the sports teams.
How to move forward:
As females, we attend college to further our education. The fact that we are more likely to be targeted and assaulted is not our fault. Young women in college need to know it is not wrong to report sexual assaults. You should always report sexual assaults. Being raped or sexually assaulted is not something to be embarrassed of having gone through. The culprit responsible must receive sanctions for his or her wrongdoings. Without reporting, the perpetrators will continue to hurt and abuse others.
Campus security should be concerned with the wellbeing of the thousands of students that attend the university. It seems that getting a bad reputation and the words “campus rape” attached to the name of a university in a headline is more feared than what potential uncaught offender is capable of doing next. Negative publicity should be the least of a university's worry. Safety comes first. Report it.
If you see something, say something. If you or someone you know has experienced a sexual assault contact your local police, campus security, and medical attention immediately. For support, contact the 24/7 Sexual Assault hotline: 877-995-5247.
