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Justice Report Documents Serious Problem
by ShaTara Drummond
It is a known fact that sexual assaults take place on college campuses. Just under 3% of all college women become victims of rape - either completed or attempted - in a nine-month school year, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Justice.
That may not seem like much. But the study looks at those figures more closely. "If the percentage is projected to a full calendar year, the proportion rises to nearly 5 % of college women," the study says. "When projected over a now-typical 5-year college career, one in five young women experience rape during college."
The statistics are part of a report titled, "Sexual Assault on Campus: What Colleges and Universities Are Doing about It," published in December.
Most of the rapes are by dates or acquaintances of the victim. The report cites studies showing that 80-90 percent of all sexual assault crimes are committed by someone the victim knows first hand.
One problem campuses face is that numerous students who experience sexual assault do not report, leaving the predator out to attack others. Less than 5% of completed rapes are brought to the attention of authorities, according to the Department of Justice report.
Why are students not reporting? Most victims know the person who raped them and may believe the myth that "rape" is committed only by strangers, the report says.
They are less likely to report if there was alcohol involved, fearing that they will be charged with underage drinking or with violating the campus alcohol policy. Some refrain from reporting because of fear of reprisal or lack of trust in the school.
In a new sexual misconduct policy being proposed by Bill Dycus, director of counseling, Mars Hill College would promise several options for reporting, including confidential and anonymous.
Campuses across the United States are trying to do more to raise awareness and educate students and staff about sexual assault.
At Mars Hill a sexual assault forum was held in February to inform student of steps they can take if they are sexually assaulted or know of a friend who has been. Students signed pledges to end rape during the annual Clothesline Project on March 22 and could attend Victims Advocacy Training sessions that evening.
Speakers during the forum and training sessions stressed that victims have the option of whether or not they want to press criminal charges. Just because you report does not mean you have to press charges. A student who chooses not to press criminal charges can still bring it to the attention of the school. You can also inform police and get free medical attention and counseling without having to press charges.
Mars Hill College encourages students to come forward. Bill Dycus said at the sexual assault forum, "Tell somebody. Do not keep it a secret. The more silence there is, the more cases of assaults and rapes there will be."
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