When we raise our girls and get ready to send them off to college and out into the world, the last thing we might think to prepare them for is a sexual assault on campus. However, headlines about sexual assault and mishandled rape investigations on college campuses are dominating the headlines nationwide. I have three daughters and seven granddaughters, so these stories have definitely grabbed my attention.
Nearly one in five women have been raped at some time in their adult lives, according to The Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Of those women over 37% were first assaulted between the ages of 18-24. The CDC also reports that 19% of all undergraduate women have experienced attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college.
It’s a fine line when it comes to preparing our girls for life on campus because not all of the men they meet will be predators. Just because one in five college women have been assaulted doesn’t mean that one in five men are assailants. Slate.com reported on a study, which found that only about six percent of the men surveyed had attempted or successfully raped someone. While some of them only tried once, most of the rapists were repeat offenders, committing an average of nearly 6 rapes apiece. The six percent of men who rape are generally violent men who commit other crimes as well.
Is it a fraternity problem? Fraternities are definitely receiving some intense focus right now but the blame can’t be laid solely there. Is it an alcohol problem? Cosmopolitan reports that some universities are taking steps to address drinking on campus. Brown University is clamping down on drinking, and banning alcohol in all residential areas, including Greek houses. Dartmouth instituted a similar policy, barring students from possessing hard alcohol on campus. But will that have a positive impact, or will it just drive parties underground, making students less safe?
There is no one approach to guarantee the safety of girls on campus, but there are steps that can be taken. John D. Foubert, a professor of higher education and student affairs at Oklahoma University advocates teaching students about sexual assault in a way that enlists them in helping to prevent it. He was recently quoted in the New York Times as saying, “When you have an intervention with a very strong empathy-building component that helps men understand what rape feels like, and you combine that with bystander intervention … you’re not blaming men for being part of the problem, you’re helping them to be part of solution.”
Enlisting the help of others is also the approach behind the “It’s On Us” campaign unveiled last year by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. The White House enlisted Hollywood stars to help fight campus sexual assault and ItsOnUs.org features a public service announcement with Obama, Biden and Hollywood A-listers telling viewers it’s their responsibility to stop sexual assault. Watch the videos here. The campaign urges everyone on campus to make sure his or her friends are safe and to step in to prevent assault. The message is particularly targeted at men, with the White House pointing to research that shows that men often hesitate to speak out because they believe other men accept it.
This problem, like so many others that women and girls face today, can only be solved through awareness, dialog and action. It is our responsibility to keep this issue at the forefront, and add our voices to the cause. This is the way we can bring about change. We can do it if we all work together.
Keeping Women Safe On College Campuses
