Why sexual assault statistics on US college campuses remain unreliable
Roughly one in five female undergraduates face sexual assault. Yet universities report only cases they handle officially. The true number remains unknown.
Sexual assault is a big problem on American college campuses. Surveys show that about one in five female undergraduates face assault or unwanted contact.
For years, federal law only required universities to report cases they handled officially. Official cases represent only a small part of what actually happens.
This means we don't know the real size of the problem. Congress ordered new surveys in 2022 to find the true numbers.
But the Biden administration never started them. The Trump administration then removed sexual assault protections.
It also limited what schools must do when handling allegations. Without accurate numbers, universities and policymakers cannot know if things are getting better or worse.
They also cannot create good solutions. The Cornell case reopening has put new focus on how seriously universities take campus sexual assault.
Why it mattersUniversities and policymakers need accurate data on how common sexual assault is. With this data, they can create solutions and measure whether those solutions work.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect, though Australian universities face similar reporting gaps and questions about how thoroughly they investigate assault allegations.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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