Everyone knows that fall is, non-negotiably, the best time of the year. It’s time to bust out those cozy sweaters and join the mile-long line at Starbucks for something pumpkin spiced. From tailgating, to Greek recruitment to Halloween, it’s no surprise that fall is also the season notorious for back-to-school bashes on college campuses across the nation.
While the period of time between arrival on campus and Thanksgiving break can be full of fun and excitement, it is also coined the “red zone” for sexual violence. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, more than 50 percent of on campus rapes occur during this time.
Theories behind the disproportionate amount of assault occurring during the “red zone” are unsurprising. In addition to the excess of parties, many freshmen on campus are eager to fit into the new party scene, but have less drinking experience and fewer friends at their sides. Predators are aware that these vulnerabilities often make freshmen the easiest targets. And it shows — freshmen are two and a half times more likely than returning students to be sexually assaulted, explained by Lisa Wade, a researcher on campus sexual activity.
“The take-home was, no matter how you break it down, no matter how you look at the statistics, freshmen are more likely to be the targets of predatory behavior, always,” said Wade.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women are sexually assaulted while in college. Also, more than 90 percent of sexual assault victims on college campuses do not report the assault.
These popular facts are worth repeating, but if you’re anything like me, you feel like you’ve heard it all before… “Always pour your own drink,” or, “Never walk home alone.”
While these precautions are certainly important, the reality is that we are not at the greatest risk for assault at a fraternity house or walking home alone.
A ten year study found that 81 percent of all reported rapes and assaults occur in the dorms, nine percent occur in houses or apartments and only four percent occurred in fraternity houses. Plus, contradictory to one of my personal greatest fears, it is unlikely a serial rapist or killer will jump out of the trees in the dark.
The National Institute of Justice states that 90 percent of victims knew their victim prior to the assault. These two truths are enormously important, yet highly overlooked.
With activities like friends, football games, parties, and maybe even some schoolwork on our minds this fall, we can’t forget to take some extra safety precautions in these first few months. It is unfortunate that we, as potential victims, must take responsibility in preventing sexual assault on our campuses. However, until a significant cultural shift allows for otherwise, we must be on our guard during this especially dangerous time.