Twenty percent of women are sexually assaulted while attending college. However, fewer than five percent of completed or attempted rapes of college-age women are reported to law enforcement. Part of the reason underreporting continues to be a serious problem is that many colleges have not yet implemented clear sexual violence policies, reporting procedures and victim support resources. As a result, women are too often not willing to report being victims of rape. Longwood University should be at the forefront in reversing these numbers. To do this, the entire campus community must implement policies and programs that will more effectively encourage women to report rape.
There are many reasons why college women do not report being a victim of rape. According to the National Institute of Justice, these reasons include not understanding the legal definition of rape, not wanting to define someone they know who victimized them as a rapist, embarrassment, self-blame, fear of retaliation by the rapist, lack of confidentiality and fear of not being believed.
Research has shown that rapes that occur by intimates or acquaintances, off- campus or dealing with drugs or alcohol are less likely to be reported. Conversely, rapes that occur by strangers, in the presence of a weapon, resulting in injury or on campus property are more often reported. Women are more likely to report rape when they feel that they will be believed.
The underreporting of rape by college women has serious consequences. On the
one hand, offenders get away with a crime and remain free to rape again. Victims, on the other hand, shy away from the many health, mental and legal services that are available to them, and struggle to cope with their sexual assault alone. Women who do not report rape to the police have a less satisfactory psychological recovery than women who do report the rape to the police.
The underreporting of rape on college campuses is unacceptable and can no longer be tolerated. For too long rape victims have felt embarrassment, fear of retaliation, fear of not being believed andself-blame.Longwoodneedstotake decisive action to prevent rape and to encourage women to report when they are a victim of sexual assault. Effective rape prevention programs should emphasize changing student behaviors and not just attitudes. Education programs should have multiple intervention strategies, be conducted regularly and be required for all students, faculty and staff.
Training for campus police and college disciplinary boards should include being both responsive and empathetic to the needs of the victim. Counseling departments should be equipped to provide a safe place for rape victims and help students work through their feelings. Without these essential support systems, women will be less likely to report rape and less likely to receive the necessary help needed to ensure their legal rights. These systems are therefore vital to reduce the underreporting of rape on college campuses.
Sincerely, Rebecca Dey
