One In Three

“One in Three Undergraduate Women Face Sexual Assault by Senior Year, Study Finds” Critical Resource Response

College is a fun and exciting time, where you get to venture out and meet new people. However, many women during their college years experience some form of sexual assault. Aaron Holmes discusses in his article the studies conducted about the percentage of women who endure sexual assault during their undergraduate years, and who is most at risk. Sexual assault happens far too frequently in colleges, one in three women experience some form of sexual assault during college, which is why women’s centers are such an important resource on college campuses. They provide training sessions for student groups on consent and prevention of sexual assault, and counseling services for sexual assault survivors. 

Women face sexual assault far too frequently while in college. In the Columbia Spectator, Columbia University’s student newspaper, Aaron Holmes states that by senior year one in three women experience some form of sexual assault. The study conducted by Columbia University found that “Although the risk of sexual assault was found to be highest during women’s first years at college, the cumulative risk of assault grew year by year.” The first year of college is difficult because it's a new environment away from friends and family. It doesn’t need to be made more difficult with the high risk of sexual assault, especially without a solid support group. Unfortunately the risk of sexual assault doesn’t end after freshman year, it continues to grow each year.    

To lower the risk of sexual assault, it is important to have women centers on campuses because they provide training about assault prevention. As a result of Columbia University’s study, “ researchers recommended that colleges bolster programs and policies that reduce substance use and promote understanding of consent.”  If people have more knowledge on what is consent and what is not it will bring the sexual assault rate down. Which is why it is important to educate students as early as possible. 

Alcohol and drugs play a large role in sexual assault that occurs during college.  Columbia University's study found that, “More than 50 percent of those who reported sexual assault said the incident occurred while they were incapacitated by drugs or alcohol.” People always try to find a reason to blame the victim, therefore if someone had been drinking when they were sexually assaulted they might not want to report it because they don’t want to feel blamed. That is why it is important to have a place women know they can go that is safe and they will be trusted, like women center’s. 

Sexual assaults occur way too often in college, which is why it is important to educate students on consent, and have a safe place the survivors can go and receive help. Doing these small things could save someone's life, which is why sexual assault should be one of the universities top priorities. 

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WC 490    

Holmes, Aaron. “One in Three Columbia Undergraduate Women Face Sexual Assault by Senior Year, Study Finds.” Columbia Daily Spectator, 10 Nov. 2017, www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2017/11/10/one-in-three-columbia-undergraduate-women-face-sexual-assault-by-senior-year-study-finds/.