SEO: DOJ names college women most common

sexual assault victims.

By: Christina Connolly
Dec. 8, 2015
The U.S. Department of Justice is working to improve
safety standards for women after multiple studies reveal
college females are the most likely to experience sexual
assault in America.

Studies show substantial differences in sexual

assault victims.
The U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice
Statistics issued a report today revealing the many aspects
of sexual assault in America. The report outlines the most
common victims, effects of sexual assault, and possible
paths for corrective action.
The studies conclude that college-aged women (women
ages 18-24) are more likely to experience sexual assault
than any other group, shifting the attention to college
campuses.
According to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, sexual
assault is the most common violent crime on college
campuses.

(more)

Connolly, Sexual assault rewrite p.2

Sexual assault statistics
The report Rape and Sexual Assault: A Renewed Call to
Action, released by the White House, reveals:

1 in 5 women have experienced sexual assault in

their lifetime opposed to 1 in 71 men.

98% of perpetrators are male.

1 in 5 women have been raped in college.

Most victims know their assailant.

Sexual assault and rape are proven to cause long-lasting

physical and mental health complications in victims and
can often produce financial implications following the
attacks.
Why college women?
Rape and Sexual Assault: A Renewed Call to Action
reported that many women on college campuses were
victims of incapacitated assault, which means they were
unconscious or considerably impaired by drugs or alcohol
during the assault.
The college life, as described in the report, provides an
environment especially susceptible to incapacitated assault
through unmonitored parties and excessive alcohol and
drug use.

(more)

Connolly, Sexual Assault rewrite p.3

According to a National Criminal Justice Reference
Service study in 2007, more than half of sexual assault
victims in college were under the influence of drugs or
alcohol during the attacks.

The majority of undergraduate women who are sexually assaulted are

intoxicated, sometimes without their knowledge
Graphic by Dave Gilson from article 1 in 5 Women Is Sexually
Assaulted in College. Just 1 Percent of Attackers Are Punished.

Steps toward improvement

The Violence Against Women Act, first proposed in 1998,
aims to protect women against common dangers they may
face. Just recently, the White House has expanded the
VAWA and now aims to target sexual assault assailants
with more corrective action.
The Department of Justice is also gearing more attention
towards the victims to ensure they receive the proper
compensation and care they deserve.

###