Rape and Sexual Assault at American Colleges and Universities
Sexual Assault on College Campuses
Because of the security threats on and around campus, college students need to understand what sexual assault is, know their rights in the event of an assault, and become familiar with educational resources on the subject. On-campus sexual assault is the sexual assault, including rape, of a student while attending a higher education institution such as a college or university. One in four women has unwanted sex while in college in the United States, and many of these incidents occur during or after parties.
Despite the dangers, most female students still choose to go to parties because gatherings and having fun with friends are part of the university. But, unfortunately, some male students systematically use college party sentiments to coerce or manipulate women to have sex. Understanding these “party rapist” techniques can help women avoid them.
Party rapists use alcohol or drugs to rape to undermine women’s ability to resist sex. Reasons, why female college students may choose not to report the assault include embarrassment or fear that it will happen again.
Date Rape and Sexual Assault in College
In terms of victims, white women, first-year students who are not on college campuses, previous victims, and more sexually active women are more vulnerable to sexual abuse. In addition, males between 18 and 24 who attend college are about five times more likely than non-students to be raped or sexually assaulted.
No one knows exactly how big the problem is. Still, a recent survey by the Association of American Universities found that about 20% of college students experience sexual abuse or misconduct at some point during college.1 Other studies have also shown frequent sexual abuse of men, accounting for 6-8 percent. While there is disagreement over methodology and definition, there is no doubt about the severity of the problem. However, since the institutional structures are different, the topic of the attack on the campus requires a separate, albeit brief, consideration.
26.4% of women and 6.8% of men are raped or sexually assaulted with physical force, violence, or disability among college students. According to a 2019 survey, the rate of non-consensual sex in colleges is 13%. While laws exist to prevent sexual abuse, colleges and universities are struggling to meet the needs of assaulted students.
Analysis of the American Women’s Association’s 2016 Clery Act shows that 89% of the 11,000 colleges included in the study do not disclose rape statistics. Yet, higher education institutions are required by law to submit annual reports containing statistics on sex crimes.
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights prescribes procedures for colleges to deal with complaints of sexual behavior on campus. University campuses are also required to support all sexually abused students under Title IX laws. College policies and procedures should explain what students should do in the event of sexual harassment on campus, how to report it to which office (s) on campus, what happens when complaints are received, and available support resources, including any additional remedies—protection in the community. (e.g., local human rights commission). Students who are sexually harassed on campus may decide whether to report them to college.
Some campuses have widely available information to help staff respond, while others assist when students detect an attack. For example, ask whether the university has signed a memorandum of understanding with the local rape crisis center or the local police station, which outlines how they will cooperate to prevent sexual abuse, cooperate with investigation needs, protect the privacy of victims, and provide options for student victims. In addition, some universities invest in training resident teachers, staff, and assistants to understand their legal responsibilities, properly respond to students’ reports of sexual assault, and where to refer victims to seek support. For many years, campus staff and educators who have been fighting for victims can be useful allies, and most universities offer a wide range of free resources, from the pastor’s office to counseling and psychological services and cultural centers.
Colleges and universities are uniquely placed to create a safe campus culture for all students, faculty, and staff. As students return to school, the Pennsylvania Anti-Rape Coalition focuses on improving college safety.
Although there are no complete statistics this year and the well-known university sexual harassment is underestimated, many top university administrators, students, and activists, including the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Southern California, and Pennsylvania State University, sound like this. Sexual assault warning because campus life this fall has returned to levels close to the pandemic. In addition to the two groups of new college freshmen on many campuses this year, it has become more difficult to report any incidents of sexual harassment through official university channels. Instead, anonymous Instagram accounts detailing student sexual abuse have become a semi-routine feature of campus life, appearing in colleges and universities in the United States and the United Kingdom, allowing students to alert others to potential men.
When the woman was suspended from school, Skidmore students were frustrated with the campus reporting system and increasingly turned to social media to anonymously disclose their experiences of sexual abuse in the Skidmore community. According to Rachel Zilberstein of the Albany Times Alliance, the demonstration was triggered by a controversial decision made by the Skidmore government to ban a young student from attending After posting her experience of sexual assault online. She entered the campus. The law requires schools to address sexual harassment and violence on campus, and these activists have complained to the federal government about what they call the lack of strict school supervision.
The proposal was based in part on the stories and concerns of survivors of sexual assault at ASU, who shared their experiences through a social media campaign. Sun Devils Against Sexual Assault has drafted a proposal for defense, resources, and training for an attack on the ASU campus, asking the university to hire more victim prevention and defenders.
Centennial Public Security officials sent students and staff two emails warning them that they had received reports that several students had been sexually assaulted. The first explained that officials received reports of the rape of a student by an acquaintance who is also in college. Next, students gathered on campus and began talking through loudspeakers about their experiences of sexual abuse and the various forms of hostility and indifference they received from college administrators when reporting them.
Even before students returned to campus, advocacy groups expressed great concern about the “red zone,” from August to the end of November, when about 50 percent of sexual assault occurs in college any year. College students are most at risk of sexual victimization during their first few weeks of school (sometimes referred to as a “red zone” in campus prevention programs). Several studies have reported that the risk of sexual assault is higher for freshmen or sophomore college students and that sexual assault occurs more frequently between August and November when many students first come to campus.
Resources on Rape and Sexual Assault at American Colleges and Universities:
rainn.org/statistics/campus-sexual-violence
brookings.edu/research/thoughts-about-sexual-assault-on-college-campuses/
pcar.org/about-sexual-violence/campus-sexual-assault
bostonherald.com/2021/09/28/advocates-say-rapes-in-college-towns-underreported-in-fbi-crime-data/
fris.org/CampusSexualViolence/CampusSexViolence.html
theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/31/sexual-assault-us-colleges-officials-must-listen
newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/3938.html
jimhopper.com/topics/sexual-assault-and-the-brain/repeat-rape-by-college-men/