Security on College Campuses
Security has become a tremendous concern on a college campus, and extra protocols need to be established and implemented to effectively prevent the crimes from happening in various colleges. The campus safety concern is a continuously growing issue throughout America and other nations across the world. When attending university as a young adult, individuals get to rush because of the unknown. The occurrence of the unknown is during attending the college parties and the late night study teams.as a result, college should emulate the elementary schools and employ sufficient safety measures to safeguard the students. The reasons for these extra security steps in college campus include preventing violence, providing the students with the sense of safety and monitoring the visitors on various campuses. Violence in college campus is prevented by the security concerns that are put in places such as safety metal detectors and cameras. However, there is an increase in rape cases in college campus that occur mostly on female students. Consequently, the rape cases occur due to sexual harassments and intimidations on the female students. As a result, college campuses have adopted policies to encounter sexual harassment and rape cases.
Introduction
The debate about the prevalent sexual assaults on a college campus has increased after the occurrence of the Brock Turner rape-case events at the Stanford University and the victim’s strong and powerful letter attracted the country’s attention. Schafer et al.(321) argue that based on that scenario, the campus administrators and security officials continue to feel the greater urgency of informing the public and world concerning mechanisms of keeping students safe during the academic years. It is speculated that American college campuses insufficiently and grossly conducts under-reporting of the sexual assault incidences that occur on various college campuses.
Muehlenhard et al.(551)
Muehlenhard et al.(551) outline that the possible reason being the schools and colleges fear that sufficient reporting of the sexual incidents have an adverse and negative reflection of the college. As a result, the negative reflection would lead to a decline in their application numbers. Moreover, colleges do not want bad recognition within the United States and across the globe. However, Patton et al.(460) argue that for many colleges across the world, many victims of the sexual assaults step forward and register the incidents to the security advisors and authorities. Unfortunately, only a portion of the cases is given hearing without justice thereby enabling the sexual assault offenders to continue committing the offense. Moreover, very few cases of the sexual provocations are investigated in American college campuses and other universities across the globe.
According to Jozkowski et al.(909)
According to Jozkowski et al.(909), the sexual harassment in universities affect mainly the female students.as a result, colleges with over 10,000 female scholars are likely to experience over 350 rape cases per year. The incidents happen during the college festivities where female students frequently use drugs and alcohol then proceed to either pressure or convince their female counterparts into participating in unplanned sex. As a result, all sexual offensives are mainly the acts of male students and women must get blames for what had occurred. Muehlenhard et al.(549) argue that base on the increase in sexual harassment many female students consider enrolling in one gender universities and colleges to avoid cases of rape which has not been more effective since many colleges register male and female students with least expectation of rape incidents. However, there are many factors and efforts towards preventing the sexual assaults but the college campuses are not doing much in implementing the necessary mechanisms. Therefore, the essay focuses on the sexual assaults I college campus, rape prevention strategies. Moreover, the study would outline which gender is more affected by rape cases and what factors facilitate sexual harassments on the college campus.
Keywords:
sexual assaults, harassment, college campus, security, alcohol and drugs, festivities, scholars, elementary school
Problem Statement
There are many cases of sexual assault on a college campus that are being reported to the security advisors and professionals, but few are investigated thereby allowing the offenders to continue with the act. Moreover, there is under-reporting of the sexual harassments cases by college campuses within the United States and other universities across the globe. Consequently, college campus administrators and security officials have failed to implement policies to prevent cases of sexual assaults
Main objective
To outline the occurrence of sexual assaults on college campus
Minor objectives
I. To determine what the college campuses are doing to prevent and reduce the cases of sexual assaults
II. To determine effective policies for reducing the sexual harassments in universities (Silbaugh et al.,1049)
III. To determine the main factors facilitating the occurrence of sexual assaults in colleges
IV. To evaluate which gender and age are more affected by cases of the sexual assaults in universities.
V. To determine the effects of sexual assaults on the victims and the college campus (Patton et al.,457)
Research Method
The research employs the use of qualitative and quantitative techniques in collecting the data. Qualitative data is obtained from survey and interviews of the participants. The surveys are conducted after obtaining the consent of the participants. Moreover, secondary data is gathered from the articles and journals about college campus security and the prevalence of sexual assaults cases in national and international universities. More significantly, the research uses thematic analysis for the qualitative data and statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) in analyzing the secondary data.
Results and Discussion
Sexual assaults on college campuses are common challenges that continue going unreported by the college administrators and security officials. According to Muehlenhard et al.(551), the challenge includes the unwanted sexual activities from the unwanted touching to sexual rape. The consumption of alcohol and other drugs have been found to constantly play significant roles in the sexual assaults cases on college campuses. Cases of the voluptuous assaults are common among the female students of all the races, ethnicities, and ages. As a result, one out of five female in college campus has a high probability of experiencing sexual assaults cases. DeKeseredy et al.(22) outline that many studies outline that students in first months of the first and second semesters of the academic year have higher risks to sexual harassments.
According to Patton et al.(460)
During these periods there is an increase in number of females to 39% as compared to males 35% Consequently, the women who are identified as gays, lesbians, or gays have higher probability of experiencing sexual assaults on college campus as compared to the heterosexual women. As a result, a college campus with over 10,000 female scholars experiences over 350 cases of rape per year (DeKeseredy et al.,22).Based on these cases of sexual assaults on college campuses are more common based on many reasons as outlined below
Why Cases of Sexual Assaults Are More Common On College Campus
Despite sexual assaults happening everywhere among men and women of different ethnicities, race, and ages, sexual harassment is more common on the college campus. Moreover, Jozkowski et al.(907) elaborate that among the adults, the sexual assaults happen most often among the traditionally college-aged female of age 18-24 (Silbaugh et al.,1049).Recent studies show that sexual assaults are severe on public college campuses as compared to the private universities. Therefore, colleges getting federal funding are legalized to publicly report cases of the sexual assaults. Within these colleges, there are main factors causing sexual assaults among the college students. These factors include:
Drugs and alcohol
Many cases (90%) of the college campus sexual attacks and rape cases often incorporate the use of drugs and alcohol. Allen, Tammy and Lengfellner (33) outline that during the college campus festivities male students frequently consume alcohol and other toxic drugs that pressurize and convince the female counterparts to have unplanned sex. Recent studies show that 16% of the young women in college experience the incapacitated rapes during the first few months and years in college (Silbaugh et al., 1049).consequently, several young adults consume drugs and alcohol for the first time upon arriving in college. Using drugs and excessive consumption of alcohol make individuals unaware of the ongoing activities around them and their place of activity.
Peer pressure
Many college-age females often stay with the people of their ages around campus but not the older adults or parents. Jozkowski et al.(909) outline that college students are likely to feel much pressure to engage in the social activities such as drinking, attending parties, using drugs, or participating in the sexual activities that would make them uncomfortable. As a result, being engaged in a forceful sexual activity and services for the social acceptance acts as a form of sexual coercion. Koss et al.(38) outline that many college students are under effective peer pressure from their colleagues thereby finding themselves becoming victims of sexual assaults.
Reporting cases of sexual assaults
Cases of sexual harassments continue to be common in college campus due to the under-reporting by the college administrators and security officials. Recent studies show that one in five college-age females who are sexually harassed report the cases to the administrators and law enforcers. In their study Muehlenhard et al.(551) outline that reporting cases of sexual assaults prevent the victims from engaging in more offenses and provides control for the individuals at risk. However, the victims feel embarrassed when talking about rape cases to the strangers. According to DeMatteo et al.(227), the victims of sexual offenses are exposed to severe health challenges such as depression, the post-traumatic stress diseases, and anxiety. Consequently, the females are traumatized on seeing their offenders thereby making it harder to sufficiently recover from their disorders. Moreover, current studies show that among the rape survivors on a college campus have academic challenges with majority 96% considering exiting college. As a result, a college campus should establish and implement policies in preventing sexual assaults.
Policies for Preventing Sexual Assaults on College Campus
Preventing sexual assaults is a difficult task since the abusive or violent trait is the responsibility of the abusive or violent Peron. However, Allen, Tammy, and Lengfellner (31) argue that individuals at higher risks of sexual harassments can take key steps to being safe around their colleagues and protect others from the potential perpetrators. As a result, college students should get to know people they are spending time with, hang out with friends of good morals, be aware of their drug intakes, and keep control of their drinks. More significantly, students should report the sex assaults cases to the school authorities and security officials. Moreover, Williams et al.(112) elaborate that the college campus administrators must establish laws governing sexual harassments and drug consumption. Consequently, university executives should establish guidance and counseling programs for the victims to ensure they continue their education.
Conducting public awareness
For effective control of the sexual harassments, the United States administrations and other governments across the world have established public awareness. For example, under the effective leadership of Joe Bidden the American vice president, the Americans established the public-awareness campaign commonly described as "it's on the US" significantly continues to spread among the American colleges. According to DeMatteo et al.(227), the campaign by Joe Biden offers guidance for women and men to successfully intervene before the occurrence of sexual assaults. Additionally, the white house and Washington officials outline that the president, vice president, their families, and members of the congress and cabinet have failed to take effective actions on different cases about the college campus sexual assaults. According to DeKeseredy et al.(22), the stance and the effective public awareness for the scenario as the Brock Turner has facilitated many colleges and schools to effectively reform their reporting and the discipline protocols
Holding offenders accountable
Due to the demand for public reporting about the prevalent rape cases in colleges, the university administration and government should hold the offenders accountable. Moreover, in enhancing campus safety and making reporting about sexual assaults easier, the college campus must work towards improving their entire culture. Moreover, Patton et al.(457) elaborate that the students should be educated about the essential supremacy of the consent about sexual conditions as the key factor in preventing the acts of sexual violence. More significantly, sexual assault victims must be sufficiently protected from the trauma and harassments (Schafer et al.321). The society must encourage parents to adequately prepare their college scholars to advocate and protect their individual sexual security.
Conclusion
Sexual assault is prevalent on the college campus and affects the female students of age 18-26. Higher cases of sexual harassments and rape occur during the first few months of arrival in colleges. As a result, many female students joining campus have higher risks to sexual assaults due to several reasons. These include peer pressure, consumption of alcohol and drugs, under-reporting by the college administration and security officials. Consequently, the effects of sexual assaults include anxiety, trauma, depression, and college drop out. In preventing sexual assaults, college executives must provide effective safety mechanisms such as sexual laws and public campaigns to safeguard the safety of students while in school. As a result, using effective security strategies significantly reduces sexual assaults on the college campus.
Works cited
Allen, Tammy J., and Linda G. Lengfellner. "Campus violence: improving safety in a university setting." Professional Safety61.02 (2016): 28-32.
DeKeseredy, Walter S., Amanda Hall-Sanchez, and James Nolan. "College campus sexual assault: The contribution of peers’ proabuse informational support and attachments to abusive peers." Violence against women (2017): 1077801217724920.
DeMatteo, David, et al. "Sexual assault on college campuses: A 50-state survey of criminal sexual assault statutes and their relevance to campus sexual assault." Psychology, Public Policy, and Law 21.3 (2015): 227.
Jozkowski, Kristen N., et al. "Gender differences in heterosexual college students' conceptualizations and indicators of sexual consent: Implications for contemporary sexual assault prevention education." The Journal of Sex Research 51.8 (2014): 904-916.
Koss, Mary P. "Hidden rape: Sexual aggression and victimization in a national sample of students in higher education." Rape and society. Routledge, 2018. 35-49.
Muehlenhard, Charlene L., et al. "Evaluating the one-in-five statistic: Women’s risk of sexual assault while in college." The Journal of Sex Research 54.4-5 (2017): 549-576.
Patton, Robert C., and Dennis E. Gregory. "Perceptions of safety by on-campus location, rurality, and type of security/police force: The case of the community college." Journal of college student development 55.5 (2014): 451-460.
Schafer, Joseph A., et al. "College student perceptions of campus safety initiatives." Criminal Justice Policy Review 29.4 (2018): 319-340.
Silbaugh, Katharine. "Reactive to proactive: Title IX's unrealized capacity to prevent campus sexual assault." BUL Rev. 95 (2015): 1049.
Williams, Brian N., et al. "The co-production of campus safety and security: a case study at the University of Georgia." International Review of Administrative Sciences 82.1 (2016): 110-130.
