The United States is facing a growing problem that shows no signs of slowing: sexual assaults on college campuses. Possible reasons for this epidemic are explained by Janet Napolitano, the current president of the University of California. She describes that “young adults live independently and in close proximity to one another for the first time” while attending college (Napolitano 387). The college setting provides students with opportunities to take advantage of one another. As a result, sexual assaults have become an issue across universities in the United States. Sexual assaults are a problem because they can have lasting effects on victims. It is the job of both the government and colleges to find solutions to the problem, by preventing …show more content…
Because these crimes have great impacts on lives, it is necessary that problem be eliminated. There are two aspects to solving the issue at hand, increased government intervention and increased efforts by universities to prevent sexual assaults. The former has already begun to happen. Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California, explains that “institutions of higher education have seen an explosion in new requirements imposed by the Department of Education, Congress, and state legislatures” (Napolitano 392). These requirements force colleges to take certain steps in protecting students from potential danger. Though these regulations help prevent sexual assault, they focus mainly on how a reported case is handled. Because of this, current government regulations are not enough to solve the issue at hand. Gray mentions how the White House wants to mandate annual surveys that provide unbiased information about sexual assaults (Gray 27). These surveys will allow the government to accurately determine the number of cases each year, because students complete them anonymously. Even if government regulations help improve the issue, universities still must find ways to prevent sexual assault on
Sexual assault and abuse comes in many different forms, and does not have to include physical contact to fall into this category. Every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted (cite). In addition, more than half of the perpetrators are known by the victim James & Gilliland, 2017). These are staggering statistic to say the least. There also appears to be an uptick in sexual violence against Transgender Students(cite)
Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town is a in-depth look at the issue of sexual assault on college campuses as told through the stories of students at the University of Montana in Missoula. Through the narratives, author Jon Krakauer ties in statistics and information creating an effective work that stands as emotionally compelling while remaining grounded and applying these stories to the greater problem of sexual assault. It tackles one of the biggest problems surrounding sexual assault in general, the treatment of the accused compared with the treatment of the accuser. Though Missoula focuses on the victims, it does provide much of the necessary background and possible motivations for the assaulters. These insights contribute
With new laws coming in such as; The Crime Legislation Amendment (Sexual Consent Reforms) Act 2021, it is a hope for change of the sexual assault statistics and way to help deliver higher justice towards sexual assault
The end result of their fight for justice for their daughter, and to prevent future criminal acts from being hidden or unreported, is The Clery Act. This federal mandate requires data collection and dissemination of campus crime statistics by colleges and universities, as well as outlines the ways in which college and university staff and faculty should be trained and educated both on how to report, in compliance with The Cleary Act, as well as how such training and education should be presented (Talesh, 2007, p. iv). The Clery Act has also been a springboard for
Therefore, candidates have to take this issue seriously when campaigning in hoping of winning an election. Despite feminism rightfully on the rise, this event at Columbia University has stemmed a fiery crusade against sexual violence and domestic violence on college campuses around the world, especially in the United
In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed the Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”), which funded rape investigations and prosecutions, imposed mandatory sentences on rapists and penalized prosecutors who did not follow standard operating procedures on certain rape cases (Nanos, E., 2015). President Clinton’s successor’s Presidents Bush and Obama, both renewed VAWA during their time in office. Following VAWA, the Clery Act helped colleges fight university campus violence, and in 2013, Congress passed an amendment called the Campus SaVE Act. In July of 2015 Rep. Matt Salmon introduced to the House of Representative the Safe Campus Act (Nanos, 2015).
Some awareness is given to the students with an objective to eliminate the incidents of sexual assaults from the college campuses. Wilhelm states, at present some awareness activities are going on in the colleges. Students are
Sexual assaults are often committed by someone a person knows. Instead of simply removing this person from all of the classes the victim and the offender have in common or trying to rearrange schedules so that they will not run into each other, more extreme measures need to be taken. Offenders need to know that there are serious consequences. Campuses must try to ensure that the offender goes to jail or is removed from the campus permanently so that victims do not have the constant worry of running into their offenders on campus. Besides just removing offenders, campuses need to be more open to students and raise awareness about the incidents that are occurring.
Sexual assaults on campuses have received more attention than in the past, because of an increased number of incidents occurring. Eliminating these assaults is nearly impossible, although with the help of society, individual strategies, and the involvement of the universities, we can cut down the number of victims dramatically. Schools want their campuses to be safe, yet all schools have violence. Every student deserves the right to a safe learning environment. Should schools do more to help prevent sexual assaults on campus or, should more women carry around pepper spray like I do?
In Zoë Heller’s Rape on the Campus, She advocates how sexual assault happens often on campuses, and that it needs to be significantly more addressed; as it is scarce for women to bring the college’s attention to the assault. Heller asserts that, “20 percent of women are sexually assaulted during their time at college and as few as 5 percent of these assaults are ever reported to police” (185). Noting that ninety-five percent of sexual assault cases are dealt by the college, colleges can take advantage and handle its reputation by outputting false information to cover any potential negative reputation. While colleges are forced to obey the rules of title IX, I believe this is an inadequate effort to remove bias teachers and workers from colleges.
(___) So not only does one have to watch who they don’t know, but they have to consider how well they know their friends too. Women between ages 16 and 24 are four times more likely to be raped as compared with the rate for all women, which is the age of most college students. (__) This issue is so low on the totem pole that victims of date rape don’t even report their cases anymore. If they do, however, decide to get help many cases of sexual violence are ignored or buried when brought to the attention of college officials. (__) With colleges ignoring it, it only makes it that much easier for the perpetrator to get away and adds another victim to the
Sexual Assault Prevention A problem that I believe is extremely occurrent in our community, and many others, and that needs to be discussed is sexual assault on college campuses. Sexual assault is any sexual contact done by force or without consent, whether that is a touch, a kiss, or a sexual activity. This is an extremely prevalent problem in our society. The topic of sexual assault has been brought up a lot lately, especially after the case of Brock Turner, a university student, who attended a fraternity party and assaulted an unconscious woman.
Sexual Assault and rape are serious social issues and crime in the United States that athletes get away with because they are highly profiled and they can deny it which makes it seem the victim is lying, they can afford better lawyers because they are rich and powerful and women seem to trust them because they feel nothing will happen to them off their high profile. Women are the main victims of sexual assault and rape, while during most situations men are the perpetrators. Where there also have been rare incidents where children have been involved with child rape and sexault assault rather the victims are men,women or children they tend to stay quiet because they feel they won 't be believed. There has been a long list of sexual assault with
“Every two minutes another American is sexually assaulted” (Scope of the Problem). Schools needs to do more to inform and protect their students against sexual assault. Most people are the victims of sexual assault because they don’t know how to prevent it. If people are required to learn more about how to prevent sexual assault like say in a school then the number of sexual assaults per year should greatly decrease.
Sexual assaults refer to all incidents of unwanted sexual activity, including sexual attack and sexual touching. It has been found that there are numerous Inquiries into institutional child abuse as a results of unwanted sexual behavior and lack of confidence. In schools, sexual involvement of staff person with any student, regardless of age , is likely to be prohibited by school policy, teacher registration rules and sometimes also by law. South African research have been conducted that shows school violence is escalating despite the measures put in place to address the problem by the Department of Education and schools themselves (Fishbaugh, Berkeley and Schroth, 2003, Human rights commission, 2006). In their study it was pointed out that “both teachers and students appear justified in fearing for their own safety with consequences that the learning process is