Title: Sexual assault on college campuses | Office on Women's Health
Headings: Sexual assault on college campuses
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Relationships, Safety, and Violence (PDF, 109 KB)
Sexual assault on college campuses
Sexual assault on college campuses
How common is sexual assault on college campuses?
Why is sexual assault on college campuses so common?
What steps can I take to be safer on a college campus?
What should I do if I am sexually assaulted while in college?
What are some effects of sexual assault on campus?
How can I be safer when studying abroad?
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Content: Reporting sexual assault. Only one in five college-age women who are sexually assaulted report the attack to the police. 4 Talking about sexual assault to strangers can be difficult, but reporting sexual assault can prevent attackers from hurting others and help you feel more in control. Reporting also helps school officials make arrangements so you do not have to have contact with someone who assaulted you. Peer pressure. College-age women often live with people their own age on campus, rather than parents or other older adults. Students may feel peer pressure to participate in social activities like drinking, using drugs, going to parities, or engaging in sexual activities that make them uncomfortable. Being forced into unwanted sexual activity for social acceptance is a type of sexual coercion. What steps can I take to be safer on a college campus? You cannot prevent sexual assault because violent or abusive behavior is always the responsibility of the person who is violent or abusive.