Experts say campus data undercounts sexual assaults
Sexual assaults are reported thousands of times a year on the biggest university campuses in the U.S., data shows. Experts say the data undercounts the number of incidents.
The data collected on campus sexual assaults, as reported under the Jeane Clery Act, significantly underestimates the true prevalence of sexual violence on college campuses, according to experts. While the federal data indicates over 45,000 incidents reported by more than 45,000 individuals between 2019 and 2024, surveys suggest that around 1 in 5 undergraduate students experience sexual violence, with the majority of cases going unreported.
This discrepancy highlights a problematic trend where schools may be excluding reports they deem unfounded or victims who choose not to pursue their cases. Experts argue that the underreporting is driven by a desire to maintain a positive public image, as schools view sexual violence as a public relations issue they want to avoid.
This discrepancy is further compounded by the lack of standardized training for campus security authorities and the discretion universities have in determining who is considered a security authority and who falls under reporting requirements. The data reveals frequent assaults, with over a third of large schools reporting incidents more than once a month on average, challenging the notion that campuses are safer than they actually are.
Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
