A new study revealed a shocking number of women report sexual assault at this university
A new survey reveals statistics that show fifteen percent of all undergraduate female students experience rape at the University of Texas at Austin. Officials are calling this the “nation’s most comprehensive study on sexual assaults.” 28,000 University of Texas students participated in a survey. The survey detailed experiences with stalking, harassment, and sexual violence on campus.
One in seven female students said they had experienced rape.
Another 28% of female students said they had experienced unwanted sexual touching. 12% said they had experienced attempted rape. And 13% said they experienced sexual harassment from staff or faculty.
The UT System Chancellor, William McRaven, told the Dallas Morning News:
“We’re not going to run from this. We’re not going to hide from this. We’re going to take it head on, and we are going to address all of these issues.”
Additionally, at the campuses in Dallas and San Antonio, 9% of female undergraduates said they had experienced rape. The average for all University of Texas campuses was 10%.
Texas senator Joan Huffman first shared the statistics while debating a bill.
Huffman’s bill would penalize college staff for not reporting sexual assaults on campus. It would also affect student leaders.
The numbers in the study should serve as a wake-up call. Staff, students, parents, and the wider community of Austin should pay attention. Furthermore, the United States should take action, too. The University of Texas is the school that administered this survey. But it’s certainly not the only school where sexual assault occurs.
In an open letter, President Greg Fences of UT-Austin wrote:
“No voice is too quiet to listen to. No story of abuse is too minor to ignore. No truth is too uncomfortable to face. We support you.”
