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Rape on college campuses

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Rape on College Campuses

Many people experience some type of violence while college students. In the USA, college students are the most vulnerable to rape during the first few weeks of the freshman and sophomore years (Sampson). The majority of these college students who are victims of rape are women.

Rape is defined as nonconsensual sexual penetration of an adolescent or an adult obtained by physical force, by threat of bodily harm, or when the victim is incapable of giving consent by virtue of mental illness, mental retardation, or intoxication (Rape on College Campuses). There are many different kinds of rape. There is date rape, acquaintance rape, and stranger rape. With both acquaintance and date rape the victims know their rapist (Rape on College Campuses). Stranger rape is rape by an unknown assailant (Rape on College Campuses). Unfortunately on college campuses the rapes are usually done by someone that the women know. There are many ways in which people believe women can prevent rapes, but when it is done by someone you know it is hard to prevent such horrible events. When you throw alcohol and drugs into these situations it can lessen your judgment about other people.

Acquaintance and date rapes make up about 85 percent of all reported rapes (Rape on College Campuses). One in seven college women will be raped before they graduate, and of those numbers 90 percent will know their attacker (Rape on College Campuses). The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) asserts that between 35-75% of all rapes against women are committed by an acquaintance on college campuses. As many as 1 in 20 college women experience sexual assault each year. Seventy percent of these instances of sexual assault have been symptomatic of alcohol use. “Alcohol and Sexual Assault on Campus,” a 2004 article in the journal Administrator noted, schools that have heavy drinking have a fifty to eighty-three percent increased likelihood of assault. The level of drinking is defined as women consuming four or more drinks consistently and five for men. Women under the age of twenty-one fifty percent more likely for alcohol related assaults to occur. Additional Administrator article reported that women involved in Greek life have a percentage increase of seventy four.

According to the Journal of Counseling and Development, women ages 16-24 are at the highest risk for sexual assault. The instances of assault have continued to grow and are still on the rise. The punishment is minor if not non-existent for the male predators not only because they is lack of evidence to prove them guilty, but also the lack of reported rapes (McDonald and Kline).

Alcohol and Drugs

Alcohol and drugs play a major role when it comes to rapes on college campuses in the USA. At least 25 percent of USA college students consume alcohol, this consumption is linked to date and acquaintance rape (Rape on College Campuses). Being intoxicated can completely change the way you view what is right and what is wrong. About 75 percent of male date rapists and 66 percent of female date rape survivors have either been drinking or using drugs (Rape Facts). Both drugs and alcohol help in limiting the ability for any of the rape victims to struggle or fight back.

About 90 percent of all rapes are planned (Rape Facts). Date rape drugs, or roofies, are used because they are quick to dissolve in drinks. They also have no color, taste, or smell. These allow the attacker to easily put them in a drink unnoticed. Most of these date rape drugs have powerful sedative effects and can incapacitate the victim within 20-30 minutes after ingestion (AAETS). These drugs can have serious effects and have become popular among acquaintance rapists. Not only are they sedatives, but they also cause the victim to experience amnesia shortly after ingestion. This effect is good for the attacker because the victim is unable to remember taking any drugs or anything that may have happened to her (AAETS). These date rape drugs are what cause many rapes to go unreported.

College Men in the USA

There are many reasons as to why people believe college men in the USA become rapists. Although many of those reasons may not be true or may not apply to every case, it is an insight as to what may be going on. The scary fact is approximately one third of USA college men reported they would rape a woman if they knew they would not get caught (Sampson). Many college men also face insecurities during their transition in life at this time, and seek their self- confidence through forced sexual activity (Rape on College Campuses). Some people believe it is because some college men have sexist attitudes and seek sexual conquests (Sampson). Others see alcohol as a tool for sexual conquests (Sampson). The alcohol is not what causes the rape; many men don’t realize that by having sex with someone who is drunk is technically rape. Another reason as to why college men might rape is because they receive peer support for sexually abusive behavior (Sampson).

In order to make more people aware of their surroundings, and reduce the risk of rape, the federal legislature passed the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act. This Act requires that registered sex offenders notify the state and that the state then promptly notify law enforcement (including campus police) in the local jurisdiction when they are engaged as a student or an employee on a college or university campus (NVAA). Other Acts similar to this one have been put into affect in different states in order to prevent rape from occurring on college campuses.

References

For more information on sexual assault visit

If you have been a victim of sexual assault contact


See also

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