Sexual Assault on Campus
Sitting in a classroom on a college campus, you wouldn’t think that one of every five girls has been sexually assaulted. It could be the girl next to you, the girl behind you, or the girl you did a group project with. Going away to college showed me how immense the issue of sexual assault is on college campuses.
It is one of the many elephants in the room, of board meetings, of student organizations, and of universities as a whole. Students walk around campus ignoring the issue because the school does not shed light on the situation. At times students don’t have enough knowledge on the concept of sexual assault.
According to the U.S. department of justice “sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient.” Some acts labeled as sexual contact included forced sex, fondling, and attempted rape. Even verbal sexual threats are considered to be sexual assault. Many times people don’t report when they have been sexually assaulted because they are ashamed. So the issue goes unnoticed on university campuses.
The Clery Act, or the Campus Security Act requires colleges and universities all over the United States to disclose information about crime on and around campus. Although it is legally required for colleges to report accidents, the website to retrieve this information is difficult to find.
Of course a school would want to hide this sort of information. Since any one can view the number of crimes this can have a major impact on the college. It can decrease donations made to the campus and decrease student enrollment. But as students and as women we need to bring this issue to light.
As women there is a need for us to be more conscious of our surroundings and make smart decisions. Since alcohol is the number one date-rape drug it’s best to monitor your drinks and know your limit. Also never take a drink from anyone, even if you know him or her.
According to the American Association University of Women, 90 percent of sexual assault cases the victim knew his/her attacker. Always go out in a group rather than going out alone to decrease the chances of an unwanted situation. Overall be careful on campus.
Miquira J.
