Approximately one in four women will be sexually assaulted in college, while men face about a one in twenty chance. Nearly three in four members of the LGBT community experience sexual assault, and they are often less educated about advocacy and prevention specifically regarding their sexual orientation or gender identity. One in two transgender people is sexually assaulted. These statistics are real at DU and other college campuses around the world, but they don’t need to be.
Unfortunately, in the past few years, DU has gotten a poor reputation regarding sexual assaults on campus, which is not something to be proud of. There have been far too many incidents reported—and no doubt even more unreported—in recent years that are classified as sexual assault, relationship violence and gender violence. These are very real issues, and both the university and DU students should be held accountable, more so than they are right now.
Efforts have increased at the university to educate people about sexual assault on campus. The Health and Counseling Center (HCC) and their Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Empowerment (CAPE) have made great strides toward informing students of how to keep themselves and others safe, while also working to create a safer campus environment. Through educational campaigns like “It’s On Us” and programs like “Be a B.O.S.S.,” more students and members of the DU community are aware of the problems that need solving at DU, which is a step in the right direction.
The university now requires a certain percentage of all members of any club to be B.O.S.S. trained in order for that organization to remain active and funded. This greatly increases student awareness of sexual assault issues, as B.O.S.S. trainings are fairly comprehensive lessons that provide the knowledge and ability to do the following: to observe your situation, to size up your options and to speak up and act. Students who are B.O.S.S. trained have the skills to be active members of society, keep people safe and provide resources for survivors of sexual assault.
That said, not all DU students are required to be trained in sexual assault awareness and prevention. Incoming students receive short lessons and lectures on safety issues like sexual assault, but they are surrounded by other lessons and lectures about registration, classes, alcohol and other seemingly more important topics.
To me, every student should be either B.O.S.S. trained or involved in another sexual assault presentation at DU, not just at the start of the first year of school.
Another positive program that DU provides is CAPE. CAPE is an active organization on campus, and they deserve an immense amount of credit. Through B.O.S.S. trainings and other events and services, it may seem like CAPE is fixing DU’s sexual assault problem, or at least lessening its frequency. The facts remain though, and there is still much to accomplish.
DU must do more to keep sexual assaults under control. It is the responsibility of the university to require education like B.O.S.S. trainings to encourage accountability and awareness, to provide resources and to strive to be different from other universities. It is also up to the students to take care of themselves and others, to respect and help people and most importantly, to create a safe college environment and DU community.
