10 Things You Didn't Know About Alcohol and Campus Sexual Assault

College is often a place where young people first experiment with both sex and alcohol. This combination can lead to uncomfortable and even dangerous situations. September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month and we have 10 facts that every college campus, bar, and student needs to know about campus sexual assault and alcohol.

1. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.

2. 9 out of 10 college women who were sexually assaulted knew the person who hurt them.

3. 90% of these crimes were never reported.

4. 50% of campus sexual assaults involve a situation in which the perpetrator, the victim, or both were consuming alcohol.

5. 75% of self-reported perpetrators had used alcohol prior to the sexual assault.

6. 2 out of 3 sexually active college students reported some substance use prior to or during sex.

7. Women going to college are at a greater risk of being sexually assaulted than their peers who are not going to college.

8. People who said they drank “more than they should” are over twice as likely to be sexually assaulted as those who drank lightly or not at all.

9. Heavy drinking is one of the most significant predictors of sexual assault in college.

10. Sexual assault may affect students’ academic achievement as well as their capacity to contribute to the on and off-campus community.

We know that perpetrators of sexual assault use alcohol as a tool to make people vulnerable. In SAFE Bar training bar owners, managers, and staff learn to have conversations about the ways that they can interrupt this behavior to keep people safe and prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment.

To learn more about joining the SAFE Bar Network contact us at safebarnetwork@gmail.com

If you have a favorite bar, restaurant or night club encourage them to join the SAFE Bar Network. They can learn more at www.safebarnetwork.org

To learn more about active bystander skills check out our blog post, Obstacles. What obstacles? 3 Full Proof Everyday Active Bystander Skills.

There are everyday active bystanders practicing these skills every day. Watch their stories here, Everyday Active Bystanders.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault our partners can help. Visit MOCSA.org and RAINN.org

To learn more about the field of sexual violence response and prevention visit PreventConnect.org and NSVRC.org