10 Things You Should Know About College Campuses and Sexual Assault

The common institutional response to campus sexual violence is to put the onus of change on students. But no amount of training opportunities, student awareness campaigns, or bystander intervention workshops will effect change if campus leadership is not actively and intentionally involved in the change process. Top-down commitment to change is strategically important and necessary to support large departures from current organizational norms.

Universities become unsafe places when campus leadership makes space for violence to occur, which can be a result of minimal accountability, delayed responses, or prioritizing compliance-based practices over prevention. If a campus leader actively engages in, for example, victim-blaming or normalizes prejudices against women, this suggests that the leader in question worked their way up within that institution because of their harmful beliefs and that such harmful logic is that institution’s norm. The President of Lincoln University, Robert Jennings exemplified this phenomenon in 2014 when he said:

“Men treat you, treat women, the way women allow us to treat them. And let me let you in on another little secret. We will use you up if you allow us to use you up. Well guess what? When it comes time for us to make that final decision, we’re going to go down the hall and marry that girl with the long dress on. That’s the one we’re going to take home to Mom.”

The misogynistic language in Jennings’ speech at the university’s All-Women’s Convocation reveals his bias against women. Jennings, whether it was his intention or not, also normalizes rape culture in his words. That is, Jennings’ attitude toward women and girls normalizes and trivializes sexual assault and abuse, as well as the idea that a victim of sexual violence is always already “asking for it”. While Jennings may have wholeheartedly believed he was saying something helpful to the women in his audience, his words reveal how he views and understands women’s bodies. For many, Jennings’ words came as no surprise as this statement was only a preamble to his main point:

“Why am I saying all this, ladies? I’m saying this because, first and foremost, don’t put yourself in a situation that would cause you to be trying to explain something that really needs no explanation had you not put yourself in that situation.”

The only lesson Jennings gave to his campus was rape culture is alive and well at Lincoln University and that students should expect an environment in which sexual violence is normalized and excused. In his 26-minute speech, Jennings perpetuated rape culture with his misogynistic language, the objectification of women’s bodies, and the general disregard for student rights and safety.

As the 2022 fall semester begins at nearly 4,000 universities across the United States, it’s important that we talk about the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses. Statements, like the one above from Jennings, show the lack of focus on social change amongst campus leadership. With leaders like Jennings, universities are ensuring that campuses will continue to be riddled with power-based violence. For survivors of campus sexual assault, this translates directly into being blamed for the violence they experienced, which could mean a victim is not believed, labeled as a liar, and/or questioned about their behaviors that led to their violent victimization.

Here are 10 things we should all know about college campuses and sexual assault:

1. 1 in 5 college women experiences sexual assault*; the majority are between the ages of 18 and 24.
2. For men aged 18–24, being a student increases the chance that they’ll be assaulted by 78%.
3. Intersectionality is a major factor: Women of color, indigenous women, individuals with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ communities are at much greater risk of sexual assault.
4. Rape culture compounds the problem of sexual assault on college campuses.
5. On average, at least 50% of college students’ sexual assaults are associated with alcohol use.
6. 74% of the perpetrators and 55% of the victims of rape in a national study of college students had been drinking alcohol.
7. Students in sorority houses and on-campus living are more likely to experience sexual assault.
8. Male college athletes in aggressive sports were shown to be more likely to use sexual coercion and demonstrate sexism, show an acceptance of violence, and reveal hostility toward women.
9. U.S. gender role norms about sexual behavior generally state that men are expected to always be interested in sex, whereas women learn that they should not appear too interested in engaging in sexual activities or that they will be labeled “promiscuous.” This perpetuates sexual violence.
10. Students are at the highest risk of sexual assault in the first few months of the first and second semesters of college.

Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault. College campuses should be a safe spaces, where violence isn’t a concern.

Prevention work is key. Institutional change is necessary. Removing the expectation for “something to be done” from the victim, who is already grappling with their trauma, is essential. Support STAR in preventing sexual violence and donate $10 dollars to celebrate our 10th anniversary!