Why The College Culture On Campus Assaults Won"t Change
Abigail Boyer, communications director for the Clery Center for Security on Campus, was praising new legislation that was part of the Violence Against Women Act.
The campus culture that she was talking about is not likely to change anytime soon-unfortunately.
She was referring to a provision in the Campus SaVE act that "calls for transparency and accountability and offers campus victims the critical support they deserve.
Furthermore, it recognizes the need for effective education to work to prevent these crimes from happening and create a campus culture that is conducive to reporting.
" On paper, these legislative initiatives create that feel good atmosphere, but in reality, college campuses have way too much to lose by actually encouraging students to report crimes of sexual assault on campus.
The sad fact is that close to 30% of all college-age women will experience some form of sexual assault in their four years at a University.
Part of the reason that culture will not change is because the women who are victims know the assailants in close to an astonishing 90% of the cases.
They are classmates or friends of classmates.
The college campus community is actually a very small one, no matter how big the campus.
Everyone knows everyone else.
The peer pressure to not report a felony assault is huge because of the lifetime ramifications that it will have on the perpetrator.
Additionally, college campus officials have a lot to lose in terms of financial support from commercial sponsors, alumni and the community in which the college resides.
That financial support pays for a lot of programs.
The reputation of the University and the money that it brings is at risk by reporting these crimes.
Administrators are not about to let that happen.
Women on college campuses should be especially aware of date rape, also known as acquaintance rape.
Alcohol and/or drugs is involved in well over 75% of all sexual assaults on a college campus.
The best way that women can defend themselves against any kind of assault anywhere is with a self-defense product such as a pepper spray or a stun gun.
Pepper sprays are legal in all jurisdictions, so they should be the first choice.
A pepper spray can disable an assailant for well over a half-hour allowing you time to escape a dangerous situation and seek help.
Women everywhere need to get used to the idea that they alone are responsible for their own self-defense.
The campus culture that she was talking about is not likely to change anytime soon-unfortunately.
She was referring to a provision in the Campus SaVE act that "calls for transparency and accountability and offers campus victims the critical support they deserve.
Furthermore, it recognizes the need for effective education to work to prevent these crimes from happening and create a campus culture that is conducive to reporting.
" On paper, these legislative initiatives create that feel good atmosphere, but in reality, college campuses have way too much to lose by actually encouraging students to report crimes of sexual assault on campus.
The sad fact is that close to 30% of all college-age women will experience some form of sexual assault in their four years at a University.
Part of the reason that culture will not change is because the women who are victims know the assailants in close to an astonishing 90% of the cases.
They are classmates or friends of classmates.
The college campus community is actually a very small one, no matter how big the campus.
Everyone knows everyone else.
The peer pressure to not report a felony assault is huge because of the lifetime ramifications that it will have on the perpetrator.
Additionally, college campus officials have a lot to lose in terms of financial support from commercial sponsors, alumni and the community in which the college resides.
That financial support pays for a lot of programs.
The reputation of the University and the money that it brings is at risk by reporting these crimes.
Administrators are not about to let that happen.
Women on college campuses should be especially aware of date rape, also known as acquaintance rape.
Alcohol and/or drugs is involved in well over 75% of all sexual assaults on a college campus.
The best way that women can defend themselves against any kind of assault anywhere is with a self-defense product such as a pepper spray or a stun gun.
Pepper sprays are legal in all jurisdictions, so they should be the first choice.
A pepper spray can disable an assailant for well over a half-hour allowing you time to escape a dangerous situation and seek help.
Women everywhere need to get used to the idea that they alone are responsible for their own self-defense.