Why College Campuses Are a Breeding Ground for Sexual Assault—and How Reclaiming Your Courage Is Changing the Game
When we send our teens to college, we imagine growth, discovery, and independence. But for too many young people—especially women and marginalized students—college can also become the backdrop for one of the most traumatic events of their lives.
Sexual assault on college campuses isn’t just common. It’s systemic. And it’s time we stop whispering about it and start demanding change.
The Statistics Are Devastating
According to a study by the Association of American Universities, 13% of all students experience nonconsensual sexual contact through physical force or incapacitation while in college. For undergraduate women and gender non-conforming students, that number jumps to 23.1% (Cantor et al., 2020).
And this isn’t happening in dark alleys. It’s happening in dorm rooms. At frat parties. On walks back from the library.
The Perfect Storm: Why College Is High Risk
Several key factors make college campuses a breeding ground for sexual assault:
1. A Culture of Silence and Shame
Many survivors are shamed into silence, blamed for what they wore, drank, or how they behaved. This culture of victim-blaming not only protects perpetrators—it isolates survivors.
A 2019 National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) report found that more than 90% of sexual assault survivors on campus do not report the assault (NSVRC, 2019). Why? Fear. Stigma. And a lack of trust in institutions.
2. Alcohol and Power Dynamics
Alcohol doesn’t cause sexual assault—perpetrators do. But many use intoxication as a weapon. The U.S. Department of Justice has found that more than half of campus sexual assaults involve alcohol, often used to impair judgment and inhibit resistance (Kilpatrick et al., 2007).
Additionally, college hierarchies—professors, coaches, fraternity leaders—create power imbalances that can be exploited.
3. Lack of Comprehensive Consent Education
Many institutions still fail to offer trauma-informed, culturally competent, and inclusive education around consent, boundaries, and coercion.
Saying “yes” under pressure isn’t consent. Freezing isn’t consent. Yet countless students don’t receive clear guidance until after something has gone wrong—if at all.
4. Institutional Failure to Protect
Title IX was designed to protect students from sex-based discrimination, including harassment and assault. But countless schools have failed to uphold this mandate. Cases are delayed, survivors are retraumatized, and perpetrators often go unpunished.
In 2021, the U.S. Department of Education launched over 500 Title IX investigations into colleges mishandling sexual violence cases (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). These are not isolated incidents—they're signs of a broken system.
Marginalized Students Face Even Greater Risks
Let’s be real: not all survivors are treated equally.
Women of color, LGBTQIA+ students, undocumented students, and students with disabilities face unique barriers in reporting and healing. They're less likely to be believed, more likely to be retraumatized, and often receive little to no support.
This is not just about safety. It’s about equity. About creating campuses where every student can thrive without fear.
What Needs to Change
We don’t fix this by handing out pepper spray and telling our daughters to “be careful.”
We fix this by:
Implementing comprehensive, ongoing consent education rooted in trauma-informed care
Holding institutions accountable for mishandling reports
Creating survivor-centered support systems
Dismantling rape culture through honest conversation, policy change, and community organizing
Most of all, we empower students—especially women and marginalized communities—with the tools, language, and confidence to reclaim their voices and boundaries.
We Deserve Safe Campuses
Our students deserve more than thoughts and prayers. They deserve real protection. Real healing. Real change.
Let’s raise our voices, together.