Survey suggests college women at risk of sexual assualt

College women are at a greater risk for rape and sexual assault, according to a report released today.

The survey, conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, found that approximately 3 percent of college-aged women experience a completed or attempted rape during a given college year.

The findings suggest that in one school year, on a campus with approximately 10,000 females in the student body, 350 could potentially be raped.

This finding could have serious policy implications for college administrators, and was prompted by the rising fear that colleges are not ivory towers, but rather hotbeds for criminal activity, according to the report's authors.

The majority of attempted rapes, sexual contacts, and threatened victimizations occurred on campus, often in the victim's residency, but the study also showed bars, dance clubs, nightclubs and work settings to be known locations.

According to the research findings, about nine out of ten victims were assaulted by someone they already knew, most often by a boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, classmate, friend acquaintance or coworker.

However, some victims, like Smartypants University Junior Jenny Jones, met their assailant in a public place and were coerced or drugged into moving to another location.

Jones met her alleged assailant during her freshmen year, at a bar on Sixth street.

"He seemed like such a great guy," Jones said. "He bought me a beer and we talked about college."

However, her night on the town soon turned into a nightmare.

"I let him give me a ride home and I don't remember much after that," she said. "It feels like one minute we were talking in this bar and then I woke up in his apartment. I realized what happened and I confronted him, but he just laughed."

Though the survey did not gather statistics on how often alcohol is present during attacks, Dr. William Serious, head of health services at Smartypants University, said that there are risks in a situation where alcohol is present, even when amongst friends.

"Young women are vulnerable in bars and other situations where alcohol is flowing," he said.

Serious said that the students should pay particular attention to their surroundings and be careful about accepting drinks from strangers.

Survey results were conducted over the phone. A randomly selected, national sample of more than four thousand women attending both two and four-year colleges were questioned.

The report, titled "The Sexual Victimization of College Women," was federally funded, and was conducted by University of Cincinnati professor Bonnie Fisher, along with her associates Francis Cullen and Micheal Turner.