- 53% of victims of domestic violence were abused by a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend.
- 21% of college students report having experienced dating violence by a current partner. 32% experienced dating violence by a previous partner.
- 13% of college women report they were forced to have sex by a dating partner. Among college students who were sexually assaulted, 35% of attempted rapes occurred on dates, 22% of threatened rapes occurred on dates, and 12% of completed rapes occurred on dates.
- 60% of acquaintance rapes on college campuses occur in casual or steady dating relationships.
- Over 13% of college women report they have been stalked. Of these, 42% were stalked by a boyfriend or ex-boyfriend.
- Nearly one third of college students report having physically assaulted a dating partner in the previous 12 months (Break the Cycle, Inc., 2005).
- As many as one quarter of female students experience sexual assault over the course of their college career (Break the Cycle, Inc., 2005).
- Approximately 90% of victims of sexual assault on college campuses know their attacker (Break the Cycle, Inc., 2005).
Difficulties faced by College Students
- Sometimes college students feel trapped by the social networks they join on campus.
- College students often feel isolated from their personal support network especially if the student is from another state or country.
- A student may have a small or limited social network due to the college campus atmosphere.
- Students may fear their parents finding out.
- Some students cannot afford supportive services.
- Some students are reluctant to identify their relationship experience as abusive.
- Many students may fear their abusive partner and delay taking action.
- Social networking sites provide easy access for perpetrators to control their partners.
Sexual misconduct can be committed by anyone
- A current or former intimate partner.
- A family member.
- A person in position of power or trust.
- A friend or acquaintance.
- A stranger, or someone known only by sight.
The Impact of Alcohol and Drugs on Sexual Misconduct
Alcohol use is a significant factor in acquaintance rape. Studies have shown that 95% of campus sexual assaults involved the use of alcohol either by the perpetrator, the survivor, or both.
Why does alcohol/drug use increase risk of sexual assault?
- Perpetrators may use drinking as an excuse to engage in sexually aggressive behaviors, ignore boundaries, or use alcohol and drugs as a coercive tactic to obtain sex.
- Alcohol/drugs may result in increased misperceptions of sexual interest, decreased concern about another’s experience, or decreased ability to evaluate whether consent has been given.
- Intoxication can make a person less able to resist an assault - especially if they are passed out or unconscious.
- Intoxication impairs a person’s judgment and limits their ability to communicate boundaries clearly.