A source for that would make it easier to either accept or decline.

That said, I believe the number is 1 in 5 college aged women have experienced a sexual assault. This doesn’t mean that it happened while in college – a large number occur at an early age.

Consider this when looking at a stat that high – let’s say you go to the typical mid-sized state university with 10,000 students. Let’s say too they have the same average as most colleges, just over half are women. Are you willing to believe that at the average college over 1000 women are raped and it’s not on the news? (10000 * 50%) * 1/5 = 1000

If there are some 200 such universities in the US – some larger and some smaller – are you willing to believe that 200,000 college women are raped in the US and it’s not on the news as the lead story?

So, in this case, we’re looking at an absurd statistic or a simple misreading of what the reporter was presenting.

NOW, who can usually be trusted to present factual information even if slanted toward the women’s perspective tells us that the percentage is really about 2.8 percent (still too high) which is less than 3 out of every 100 (as opposed to 1:5 which is 20 out of every hundred). They also tell us that about 1% of that 2.8% were attempts and not completions, make the frequency of rape about 2 out of every hundred.

http://www.now.org/issues/violence/030702college.html

They tell us in this report:

“The study recognizes that “college campuses host large concentrations of young women who are at greater risk for rape and other forms of sexual assault than women in the general population or in a comparable age group.” The vast majority of the sexual assaults occurred in the evening and in residences, with 10 percent taking place in a fraternity residence. Ninety percent of the victims knew their attacker, who was usually a classmate, ex-boyfriend or acquaintance.”

A full 10% occurring at fraternity houses is telling. That 90% were not stranger related is also telling.

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Statistics are wonderful tools but they must be interpreted with integrity. In the wrong hands, they are lies. There is a saying in stats world that goes “statistics never lie, statisticians lie but the numbers are a fact”

As an example: I read yesterday that 25% of 11 year olds know someone who is sexually active. The reporter interpreted that as 25% of 11 years must then be sexually active. But, what if that 25% of 11 year olds knows the same 1 sexually active 11 year olds? Then there’s only one. An example of misinterpreted stats.

If you’re concerned about safety at a particular college, ever college is required to prepare an annual report on crimes on their campus. This is often available on the campus police web page.

I have no way of know and one would have to see the study that produced the statistics, but that seems high. However, I think there are other things to factor into this that might lead to a number that high (which my gut thinks is too high). First, I think most people think of rape in its more violent forms. However, rape can and is many times more subtle. Date rape for example. I think many times women can be coerced into sex. So, I believe that the definition of rape is far broader than often thought of and is probably part of that statistic. I truely hope that the statistic is far overblown.

I suspect these are mostly date rapes, and mostly cases where both people were extremely intoxicated, rather than forcible rapes. In many states, rape law counts it as a rape when the woman was too intoxicated to consent, even if she doesn’t say no. I don’t want to minimize the trauma this causes the woman the next day, or be blaming the victim, but if you exercise good sense, your risk will be much much much lower than 20%. Also, you will be much safer if you go to a small school, where everybody knows everybody, because there will be no safety in anonymity for a potential rapist.

That is high, but whenever I hear stats like this, I think about a story one of my history professors told. I went to an all female school, and about 50 women had come to hear his lecture. He told us, “According to statistics, 90% of you will get married, but I can’t tell any one of you individually that you will get married.” The same is true of the rape statistic. It will happen to someone, but it may or may not be you. The best you can do is to practice good safety and not venture into dark parks or alleys at night.

now what did I tell you girly about putting too much pressure on yourself? :0) Calm down and stop thinking the worst! You can’t live life afraid of what might happen. That isn’t living, that’s letting fear control you. The only thing we can do is take the proper safety precautions that we know we should take and hope for the best. There are no guarantees in life, but if we let fear control our decisions, then we will miss out on a lot of living.

Acutally, the statistic should read. 1 in 5 women in college get completely smashed and do something that they horribly regret. And then to pass it off they claim rape.

Xboxpa is almost correct subtracting alcohol, drugs and playing around with strangers would substantially lower the risk of rape. Being stupid is the major risk factor.

I would have rather not known that.

scary.