ยป What Students Need to Know

College students are at high risk for sexual assault

Many research studies show that college students are one of the most vulnerable age groups for sexual assault in the U.S. In a recent study of undergraduate college women, 19% reported that they had experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college (Krebs, Linquist, Warner, Fisher, & Martin, 2009) and President Obama has stated in the First Report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault, that one in five women is sexually assaulted while attending college (April, 2014).

Dr. David Lisak (2008) posits that in the majority of instances, sexual assault on university campuses is the result of predatory behavior by individuals who target vulnerable individuals. His research contradicts the widely held belief that sexual assault is committed by young people who, without too much alcohol and with too little communication, would never commit acts of sexual violence. His research results have demonstrated that the majority of campus rapes are committed by individuals who have between 7—12 victims before one report is filed.

Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics