Sexual Assault on College Campus Essay Example

Essay Sample on Sexual Assault on College Campus

Thesis Statement of Sexual Assault on College Campus Essay

Sexual harassment is a serious concern on college campuses. Students need to act assertively in order to prevent sexual assault both on their own campuses and other universities around the country.

Introduction of Sexual Assault on College Campus Essay

Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs by force or without the other person’s consent (National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2015). This means physical and verbal coercion. The perpetrator does not need to use a weapon for it to be considered sexual assault.

According to the CDC, sexual assault is “any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient” (CDC). In other words, it is any unwanted sexual activity. These activities can include touching someone’s breasts or genitals, kissing, intercourse, and more.

Sexual assault on campuses is an increasing problem. One in five women is sexually assaulted while attending college (Wang, 2013). With the current climate on college campuses across America, colleges need to step up and take responsibility for their students. There needs to be more of a support system for victims.

Main Body of Sexual Assault on College Campus Essay

Statistics about the problem with sexual assaults on college campuses

The Campus Sexual Assault Study commissioned by the National Institute of Justice found that 19% of college women experienced a completed or attempted sexual assault since entering college. Since 1 in 4 American women have been victims of an attempted or completed rape, this number is consistent with national data.

• 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted while they are in college
• In the United States, an estimated 12.7% of undergraduate students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.

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What are the effects of sexual assault on the college campus?

Sexual assault leads to a variety of personal and mental health-related consequences such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is the most common cause for victims’ visits to counseling centers on college campuses.

The psychological effects of sexual trauma: PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, and alcohol /drug addiction become increasingly serious if not treated immediately. The physical effects include sexually transmitted diseases/infections, chronic pain, and gastrointestinal problems. Last but not least, psychological damage due to insecurity about personal safety and fear remains long after the traumatic event(s) has or have occurred.

Consequences of not reporting a case of sexual assault on the college campus

• Victims are subject to secondary victimization, meaning that they are treated badly or insensitively by university officials who are not appropriately trained on how to deal with victims of sexual assault.
• The more time that elapses between the incident and the point when a case is reported, it will be difficult for investigators to collect sufficient evidence due to memory loss or the degrading of physical evidence.
• If the offender was under the influence at the time of the crime, he/she may claim amnesia which would further complicate investigation if there isn’t an appropriate amount of witnesses willing to testify about events leading up to the rape.
• It can also affect one’s mental health if their case gets swept under the rug without being examined.

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What are some ways in which universities help prevent sexual assault?

Universities across the nation adopt different approaches in their effort to reduce the number of sexual assaults on their campuses. Some examples are:

• Educating staff members, students, and faculty about sexual assault and other related topics.
• Training for university police to identify high-risk situations that may escalate into a crime.
• Creating a safer community by holding events that enhance awareness about sexual assaults.
• Implementing policies that support victims of sexual crimes while conducting an investigation.
• Offering confidential counseling services so employees will feel more comfortable reporting instances of potential or known sexual assault cases.
• Having well-established protocols for investigating reports of sex offenses ensures victims’ safety during the entire process.
• Appropriately responding to university policy regarding student conduct when there has been an act of sexual misconduct.
• This also means that universities are expected to assist in filing judicial complaints against offenders while taking measures to protect the identity of victims (Becker).
• Universities encourage students to report any violations regarding sexual violence or acquaintance rape.
• They should ensure confidentiality to prevent unnecessary attention and/or trauma for the victim(s); only details needed for investigation would be shared with other officials if necessary.

Conclusion

Sexual assault is a crime. It has no place on college campuses or anywhere else in society for that matter. It is important to be aware of the statistics and evidence that sexual assault on college campuses is happening. It is also crucial for people who go to school, work, or live in close proximity to these campuses to understand how they can help prevent this crime from occurring.

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