It’s more than two years since the #MeToo movement took off in earnest in October 2017. But sexual harassment and sexual violence remain a serious problem. From inappropriate comments through to physical assault, people of every age and gender are victims every day. And sadly, in the United States as in many other countries, it is still young college-age women aged 18-24 who bear the brunt. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the statistics – and how Sky Alert has a personal security solution which can help.
Women aged 18-24 are up to 4 times more at risk from sexual violence when compared to the entire female population in the U.S.
Sexual violence is prevalent at college, but under-reporting is a problem
In order to understand the scale of the problem, it’s important to have some data. However, sexual violence is notoriously difficult to measure, and there is no single source of data that provides a complete picture of the crime in the U.S. One of the most reliable sources for collated statistics is the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). On their website, they use data from the annual National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), supplemented by other data from Justice Department studies, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other government and academic sources. According to RAINN, women aged 18-24 are up to 4 times more at risk from sexual violence when compared to the entire female population in the U.S.
Only 20% of female student victims aged 18-24 report to law enforcement.
An additional problem is under-reporting, particularly for young women in college. RAINN Calculates that only 20% of female student victims aged 18-24 report to law enforcement. This compares to 32% of non-student females in the same age bracket. Anecdotally, this may be partly to do with a lack of confidence or familiarity with their surroundings. More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November. And students are at an increased risk during the first few months of their first and second semesters in college. Of course, this also has long-term consequences; only about 1 in 6 college-aged female survivors received assistance from a victim services agency.
A personal security solution that uses technology to help young people
With our campus solutions, Sky Alert is here to help young people who need help fast. In an emergency, or if they feel themselves to be in danger, we can connect them via our smartphone app or SOS Fob device to a 24/7 monitoring station. High-quality two-way audio means they can talk directly to trained agents who can direct emergency services or campus law enforcement to their exact location. Our agents can act as a virtual buddy; they’ll stay on the line and actively listen as events unfold. They also record conversations, which can be used as evidence in any future investigation or prosecution.
We need to be absolutely clear. No one of any age, gender or sexual orientation should face unwanted sexual advances or sexual violence in any context. For young people in college, they should be worrying about things like the grade on their term paper, not their personal security. With Sky Alert on their side, we can help them feel safe on campus and beyond – even if we can’t help them write an ‘A’ paper.
Contact our team today, and learn how we can deliver increased safety for everyone on campus.
Email us on campus@SkyAlertSOS.com
Sources:
Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Rape and Sexual Victimization Among College-Aged Females, 1995-2013 (2014).
David Cantor, Bonnie Fisher, Susan Chibnall, Reanna Townsend, et. al. Association of American Universities (AAU), Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct (September 21, 2015).
Matthew Kimble PhD, Andrada D. Neacsiu BA, William F. Flack PhD & Jessica Horner BA(2008) Risk of Unwanted Sex for College Women: Evidence for a Red Zone, Journal of American College Health.
Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Campus Law Enforcement, 2011-2012 (2015).
Posted by David Howton
David is CEO of Sky Alert SOS and cares deeply about protecting lone and vulnerable workers. From utility engineers to care home staff, he and his team provide the Safe Hub protection system across the USA.