Sexual assault is a longtime occurrence on college and university campuses. A survey of 440 colleges showed that many schools ignore provisions of Title IX, which requires schools to prevent and investigate sexual assaults, and the 1990 Clery Act, which orders colleges to report violent incidents to authorities. Up to 90% of college campus rapes occur through date rape incidents. Recent estimates have put the occurrence of rape, or attempted rape, at about one of every four women during their college career. This estimate corroborates a recent finding that 19% of all American women have been raped during their lifetimes. Advocates claim campus rape is so prevalent that schools which do not report this problem are likely avoiding efforts to address it. They say schools, fearing negative publicity, are not proactive in investigating or prosecuting those responsible for these violent crimes.

Only about 12% of all campus rapes are reported to authorities and only 1% of all assailants are ever disciplined by the school. But some schools assign a confidential adviser to each victim, who explains the reporting process while ensuring services are made available for her. This approach has helped increase the number of victims who decide to report their abuse to the police. Advocates say colleges need to provide safe and supportive environments where students feel comfortable reporting these crimes.

Pending Legislation: S.2990 - Campus Accountability and Safety Act
Sponsor: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
Status: House Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Chair: Sen. Bill Cassidy (LA)