Safe Campus Initiative

What kinds of violence affect women on college campuses?

Dating Violence

Dating violence is abusive and violent behavior in dating relationships. It happens in both heterosexual and same sex relationships. It covers a wide range of behaviors that include verbal and emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and physical violence.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence constitutes the willful intimidation, assault, battery, sexual assault, or other abusive behavior perpetrated by one family member, household member, or intimate partner against another.

Sexual Assault

A sexual assault occurs when someone touches any part of another person’s body in a sexual way, even through clothes, without that person’s consent. Some types of sexual acts which fall under the  category of sexual assault include forced sexual intercourse (rape), sodomy (oral or anal sexual acts), child molestation, incest,      fondling, and attempted rape.

Stalking

Stalking is engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly communicating to another under  circumstances that   demonstrate either of the following: an intent to place the person in  reasonable fear of bodily injury; or an intent to cause substantial emotional distress to the person.

(click here to learn more about these types of violence)

Why is this issue important?

Between 20% to 25% of female college students may experience “completed or attempted rape” during their college career.  (Fisher, B.S., Cullen, F.T., & Turner, M.G. (2000). The Sexual Victimization of College Women. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of  Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice.)

Eighty-six percent of all rapes/sexual assaults committed against college students were not reported to police.  (Hart, T.C. (2003) Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, National Crime Victimization Survey 1995-2000. Violent Victimization of College Students. Washington, D.C.:, p.6.)

A survey of university undergraduates revealed that 20 percent had been stalked or harassed by a former dating partner. (National Center for Victims of Crime)

3 in 10 college women reported being injured emotionally or psychologically from being stalked. (National Center for Victims of Crime)

Betw