Sexual assault is a serious issue affecting college students because it can have long-lasting physical and psychological effects, is frequently underreported and requires stronger prevention systems.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, “One in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.”
Unfortunately, sexual assault is an issue that commonly happens among college campuses and also has long-term effects on those students.
The National Institutes of Health states, “an estimated 90% of survivors/victims do not report assaults, exacerbating psychological trauma and impacting resource allocation and the implementation of effective prevention strategies.”
Most people who experience sexual assault stay silent. Sexual assault can be a scary thing to report, and that affects the prevention strategies put in place, but I feel that most people don’t come forward because they aren’t always believed or no consequences are given to the perpetrator.
Sexual assault can have negative implications on a person’s emotional state which can impact their schoolwork. The NIH also points out that, “Across all studies, sexual assault was associated with more academic problems including lower grade point average, dropping out of university, and self-regulated learning problems.”
Sexual assault directly impacts college students because it most commonly happens to college students. According to the NIH, “Women ages 18-24 who are college students are three times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence.”
College students, including those at Kirkwood, tend to party often, which can lead to bad decisions, making it easier for women to be taken advantage of.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, staffing, office space, and the existence of policies on a college campus are what enable and enhance sexual assault prevention. Having safe spaces for students to go talk and get counseling about sexual assault as well as teaching students about consent can help reduce the rate of sexual assault and violence.
Sexual assault is an issue on college campuses that affects students physically, emotionally and academically. Sexual assault prevention is something that should be taught at Kirkwood to ensure student safety.
Categories: Opinion
