Campus Sexual Assault Policies

The National Institute of Justice’s report, Sexual Assault on Campus: What Colleges and Universities are Doing About It, found that approximately 1 in 5 women will experience rape in college. When you take into account the fact that this figure only includes women and only those who reported, the rate of sexual assault of college students is likely much higher.

However, in the American College Health Association’s (ACHA) Preventing Sexual Violence Survey, only 11.8% of survey respondents answered "very effective," when asked how effective their institution was in addressing the problem of sexual violence.

Advocates working on college campuses or with college students should understand their local college’s sexual assault policy. This will help them be prepared to advocate for a survivor-centered approach when issues arise. This paper outlines some of the most common missteps to watch out for, then identifies promising practices used by campuses in our region, and finally provides tips and resources for advocates.

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