Protecting against Sexual Assault

Sexual assault that happens on college campuses is a problem that has existed for many years. Although colleges have addressed this issue with some success, the problem still remains. Today, 20 to 25 percent of female college students report experiencing a rape or attempted rape. Anyone is at risk for being raped, but the majority of victims are women. Between the time they start college and when they graduate, an estimated one-out-of-four college women will be the victim of attempted rape, and one-out-of-six will be raped.

Most women will be raped by someone they know—a date or an acquaintance—and most will not report the crime. Alcohol is a factor in nearly three-fourths of the incidents. Whether raped by a date or by a stranger, a victim can suffer long-term traumatic effects. Following is some advice from Tricia Phaup, Director, Medical Case Management at University of South Carolina School of Medicine, on avoiding sexual assault:

If you are ever tempted to force another person to have sex:

If you have been raped, regardless of whether you choose to report the rape to the police or get a medical exam, it is very helpful to seek counseling by contacting resources such as a campus sexual assault coordinator, a local rape crisis center, the campus police department, student health services, women’s student services, a local hospital emergency room, or a campus chaplain.

In 2014, the federal government established the “Campus Sexual Violence Elimination” (SaVE) Act to ensure that all colleges and universities have policies for reporting and responding to issues of sexual violence.

SaVE requires that incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking be disclosed in annual campus crime statistics reports required of each college and university. Also students or employees who report being victims will get assistance from campus authorities, a change in living or working situations as needed, the ability to obtain a “no contact” or restraining order, knowledge about their college’s disciplinary process, and information about counseling, health, and legal services.

SaVE ensures that there will be a prompt and fair investigation by officials who are trained on sexual violence. SaVE also requires colleges and universities to provide programming for students and employees addressing these issues that specifically targets new students and new employees. Don’t keep silent if you are a victim.