Sexual Assault Proves Problem For College Campuses

Recent study shows that sexual victimization is a growing problem on college campuses across America.


By Susanna Gaither

Three percent of college women experience rape, according to a report released today by The U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

The report, "The Sexual Victimization of College Women" offers a comprehensive look into the prevalence and nature of sexual assault occurring at American colleges.


The data shows that

· About 1.7 of female college students were victims of attempted rape.
· About 13 percent of college women have been stalked since the beginning of the school year.
· The vast majority of these incidents happened after 6 p.m.
· Nearly 60 percent took place in the victim’s residence, 31 percent occurred in other living quarters, and 10 percent occurred at a fraternity.


Authors of the study Bonnie S. Fisher, Francis T. Cullen and Michael G. Turner said that it was common for the victim and the person who sexually victimized them to know each other.


"Most often, a boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, class mate, friend acquaintance, or coworker sexually victimized the women," the authors wrote. "College professors were not identified as committing any rapes or sexual coercions, but they were cited as the offender in a low percentage of cases involving unwanted sexual contact."


Based on their findings, Bonnie Fisher and her colleagues estimate that the women a college that has 10,000 female students could experience more than 350 per year--a finding with serious policy implications for college administrators.


Reasons women do not report sexual assault crimes:
· Embarrassment
· Not clearly understanding the legal definition of rape
· Not wanting to define someone they know as a "rapist"
· Because they blame themselves for their sexual assault


This data reinforces the fact that college campuses have become hot spots for criminal activity. Previous research suggests that women in college are at a greater risk for assault than women in the general population or in a comparable age group. Therefore, college women become a group whose victimization warrants special attention.


Who was surveyed?

· NCWSV study results are based on a telephone survey of a randomly selected, national sample of 4,446 women who were attending a 2- or 4- year college or university.
· Limited to schools with at least 1,000 students


For more information on NCWSV or safety on college campuses, visit these websites.
http://www.ncvc.org/src/main.aspx?dbID=DB_NCWSV466
http://www.safety.com/articles/college-and-campus-safety.html
http://crime.about.com/od/guideforvictimsofcrime/tp/collegesafety.htm