Quite a few colleges and universities have recently been investigated (and some censured) for poor management of sexual assaults on their campuses. They have either not been vigilant in investigating charges or have not accurately compiled and reported sexual assault data.
Colleges and universities are required, under the federal Clery Act, to track and publish crime statistics in annual reports open to the public. Not doing so could result in a fine or losing eligibility for federal financial aid.
Some college officials seem not to care. They seem more concerned with making their campuses appear safe for women than actually making them safe for women. Like the person who does not warn her as she is entering a room with a rapist, these lies are practically assaulting our students.
The U.S. Department of Education slapped a $165,000 fine on Yale University last week for inaccurately reporting sex crimes on campus. UNC-Chapel Hill is hovering under the cloud of two federal investigations for its alleged mishandling of sexual assaults. Investigative clouds flying nearby over Elizabeth City State University may have contributed to Chancellor Willie Gilchrist resigning on Friday. ECSU did not report any sex crimes from 2009 to 2011, despite police records of complaints.
Unfortunately, sexual assaults are a fact of life for nearly every college and university in America. When you mix sexism, immaturity, alcohol, hormones, group think, self-confidence issues, and more sexism and alcohol, you are bound to have conditions that lead to sexual assaults. Studies find that one out of four college women have either been raped or been the victim of an attempted rape.
Some schools try to tout their campuses as safe for women. They point to their low number of sexual assaults. Some prospective parents and students examine crime statistics and choose schools based on what they see in these annual reports.
Any law enforcement officer will tell you that the actual number of sexual assaults is significantly greater than the number reported in the annual reports. A searing daily injustice, most women do not feel comfortable reporting their sexual assault.
