Sexual Assault on College Campuses in the United States

Sexual assault on college campuses is a global issue, with women’s victimization rates ranging from 13.8% in Nigeria to 77.6% in Turkey. Although the vast majority of studies on this particular form of violence against women have been conducted in the United States, studies from throughout the world have revealed the epidemic of sexual violence on college campuses. This chapter surveys the prominence of sexual victimization on college campus and discusses college subcultures, diversity considerations, endorsement of rape culture, prevention programming, and current political policy debates that impact a solution for college sexual assault predation. Global incidence is discussed, but this discussion is framed within the US college culture. The chapter concludes with a discussion of current advocacy efforts and some recommendations for change within prevention programming.