Students caught or indicted of sexual assault on campus often go unpunished for those crimes. Institutions of higher learning have turned into the worst environments for young boys and girls. Cases of rape on campuses, especially in the United States, are on the rise and the institutions seem to lack the capacity to mitigate the issue. It is on record that 25% of American college male students admitted that they were sexually harassed at some point in their academic years (U.S. Department of Justice). The National Institute of Justice indicates that a fifth of college women are victims of sexual assault (Ottens and Hotelling, 2001). This research exposes the level of violence in American campuses, its impact, the factors that influence violence, and the most vulnerable victims.
Sexual assault is the most unreported crime that happens on campuses in the United States of America (U.S. Department of Justice, 2011). Surprisingly, most of these crimes are normally committed by acquaintances of the victims especially classmates and roommates. Campus crimes, unlike in the past, have been addressed even at the national level by the federal government. The major challenge in eradicating this issue is its nature. Sexual violence is a very private matter and victims feel embarrassed to come forward and report when such a crime is committed against them. One out of five women is a victim of rape in their college years (Ottens and Hotelling, 2001).
Research has shown that one-third of teenagers confess that their first sexual experience has been a forced engagement. Close partners and friends, according to Karjane, Fisher, and Cullen (2002), are sexually abused women on campus in the United States. Despite the challenges faced while trying to mitigate sexual harassment, there is a need for the relevant authorities to deal with the issue and minimize its increase. Considering the ramifications involved, this requires immediate attention.
Sexual violence affects victims in many divergent ways. They include sexually transmitted diseases, physical injuries during coercion, and the possibility of the victim, especially women, sustaining reproductive health problems. All these are hindrances to the victim’s academic performance and may lead to dropping out or dismal performance. Rape on campuses in America goes unnoticed because most perpetrators are close friends or love partners. Nonetheless, the impact begins to show in the long run when students become reserved (Karjane, Fisher are Cullen, 2002).
Sexual violence is high because of increased drinking habits among young people in colleges and universities. Influenced by peer pressure, young people are easily enticed into the habit by older friends and hence making them vulnerable to sexual harassment. Mostly, this crime is committed against most of the victims in their drunken state (Karjane, Fisher and Cullen, 2002). Cases about students poisoning their victims to take advantage of them sexually have become rampant. The use of drugs generally is the most common root cause of the rampant sexual violence in American colleges and universities.
Women and new students are the major victims of sexual harassment. New students get into sexual relations for favors as they try to settle and fit in the system. Women seeking sexual relations in exchange for financial favors fall victims to rape and other sexual violence more often (Ottens & Hotelling, 2001). Campuses therefore must take the responsibility to protect and create smooth orientation procedures to help new students. Establishing help centers to assist students who fall victims to sexual assaults can effectively redress this issue.
References
Karjane, H. K., Fisher, B. S., & Cullen F. T. (2002). Campus Sexual Assault: How America’s Institutions of Higher Education Respond. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc.
Ottens, A. J., & Hotelling, K. (2001). Sexual Violence on Campus: Policies, Programs, and Perspectives. New York: Springer Publishing Company, Inc.
U.S. Department of Justice: Sexual Assault on Campus: What Colleges and Universities Are Doing About It.(2011). Web.