Since 2014, sexual assault cases on college campuses have been on the rise. Various studies show that 20 percent of female college students admit to being sexually harassed, assaulted or raped while attending college.
Campus Sexual Assault Facts
According to studies at various colleges in the U.S., sexual assaults on college campuses are on the rise. One in five women and one in 16 men admit to being the victim of sexual harassment, assault or rape while attending college. Statistics show that male students who belong to a fraternity are three times more likely to rape than males who don’t, and female students who belong to sororities are 75 percent more likely to be raped. Although about 20 percent of college students report sexual assaults to campus officials or an assault lawyer, 90 percent of victims do not make any type of report.
In 2014, the highest numbers of campus rapes occurred at the University of Connecticut and Brown University. Each school had 43 rapes on their main campuses. Many reported rapes occurred at off-campus fraternity houses at social events where alcohol and drugs were easily accessible.
Preventing Campus Sexual Assaults
During President Obama’s terms in office, the Department of Education issued guidelines concerning sexual assaults on college campuses. Colleges and universities were warned that failing to respond quickly through appropriate channels to sexual harassment, assault, rape, or violence on campus would be a violation of the Title IX law. This federal law, enacted in 1972, protects students from discrimination under any activity or education program that receives federal financial assistance.
Some colleges and universities offer rape prevention classes as a way to reduce sexual assaults on campus. Research shows that the risk of rape is five percent lower for female freshmen who attend a rape prevention class than for those who are only given brochures. Prevention classes also advise students on basic safety guidelines:
- Avoid alcohol intoxication which impairs judgment and physical abilities for self-defense.
- Avoid beverages from another person or from a communal alcohol source like a punch bowl. Drugs used to incapacitate sexual assault victims can be odorless, colorless, and tasteless. An assault lawyer commonly sees cases where date rape drugs are used on victims.
- Leave the area or social event when feeling uncomfortable or unsafe.
- Attend social events with friends, rather than alone.
- Avoid walking through dark and unfrequented areas when crossing campus at night alone.