National Public Radio and the Center for Public Integrity have joined forces to cover a startling, often unacknowledged problem on college campuses around the country–one out of five college women will be sexually assaulted before they graduate.
NPR broadcast the results of the year-long investigation late last month, and the report is also featured on its Web site.
The report found that not only do many institutions of higher education fail to prevent sexual assault on campus, they also fail to adequately resolve the cases that are brought forward. Distressingly, weak college judicial systems often abandon students at a time when they need help most.
The recent arrest of a St. Edward’s University police officer for secretly photographing women in a dressing room at a Barton Creek Mall department store was worrying enough for the women who attend classes here, many of whom live in campus residence halls. That arrest and the serious questions raised by the NPR/CPI report highlight the need for quality and reliable on-campus policing, along with transparent, effective policies for dealing with allegations of sexual assault and rape. We wonder how well St. Edward’s is doing on both fronts.
The NPR/CPI investigation found that women who come forward with sexual assault allegations too often encounter obscure, secretive, off-the-record disciplinary proceedings not designed to handle criminal complaints. As a result, these women often drop their complaints, withdraw from school or transfer.
Meanwhile, college officials rarely expel students accused in sexual assault cases. When expulsion does occur, it is only after multiple accusations, the report found. Accused students are often permitted to remain on campus and continue on as if nothing has happened while their accusers leave, feeling isolated and ashamed.
The problem is compounded by local police and prosecutors who are reluctant to handle campus rape and sexual assault cases. In over 50 percent of such cases, the NPR/CPI report found the women who bring the complaints acknowledge that were drinking at the time of the assault.
The prevalence of alcohol, however, should not stop campus law enforcement officials or local police and prosecutors from thoroughly investigating these cases. Indeed, most state laws make it clear that an intoxicated person cannot give consent, placing the burden squarely on law enforcement to fully investigate all sexual assault allegations.
Sixty percent of St. Edward’s 3,505 undergraduate students are women, which means that statistically around 420 current female students will be sexually assaulted during their time here, according to the NPR/CPI calculation.
Our campus is small and friendly, but it is not impervious to danger. At Boston’s College of the Holy Cross, with fewer than 3,000 students, a woman reported that she was raped by another student in a campus bathroom in 2008. She filed disciplinary charges. The college hearing board found the accused student responsible for sexual misconduct, dismissed him and revoked his scholarship. The NPR/CPI investigation found that the handling of this case was a marked exception.
We hope that St. Edward’s would fare as well should it find itself scrutinized. We hope the administration has greeted the recent, unfortunate news about our campus police member with concrete plans to assess the university’s hiring practices, professional standards and, if necessary, salary for its police officers. We also strongly urge the administration to assess its policies and procedures for handling sexual assault and rape allegations.
We come here to be educated. We expect to be safe.
3 comments
"Meanwhile, college officials rarely expel students accused in sexual assault cases. When expulsion does occur, it is only after multiple accusations, the report found. Accused students are often permitted to remain on campus and continue on as if nothing has happened while their accusers leave, feeling isolated and ashamed."
The way you worded it, you make it sound like an accusation should be grounds for expulsion. Of course, most people won't accuse someone of sexual assault if it didn't really happen, but there must be some grounds for the accused to defend themselves otherwise people could potentially just accuse people they didn't like of horrendous crimes. I assume this is not your intention, but the wording lends itself to that sort of interpretation. I think you could perhaps revise that paragraph.Other than that you addressed valid points which should be a more prevalent issue in the community.