'U' Survey Finds Increase In Awareness Of Sexual Misconduct Reporting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota has released the results of their most-recent survey on sexual assault and sexual misconduct awareness, and it shows a significant increase in reporting from students.
In all, 13,000 University of Minnesota students participated in the 2019 Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey, which is nearly double the response rate the university saw in 2015, and higher than the average of all 34 campuses participating in the survey.
"I appreciate that so many of our students made their voices heard on this troubling and important issue," said University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel. "Fostering a campus environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, supported, and free of harassment requires every member of our community to take responsibility for their actions and to do their part to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct."
The results also showed that, among undergraduate women, the rate of non-consensual sexual contact by force or inability to give consent was up 2.1 percent from 2015, to just over 25 percent overall.
"Incidents of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct are chronically underreported, so we were not surprised to see an increase in reports both on the Twin Cities campus and at universities across the country," The Aurora Center director Katie Eichele said.
No other demographic group saw a statistically significant increase in reporting non-consensual sexual contact in the same time period, according to the university.
Also, three out of four students at the university reported that they took some type of action when they witnessed a situation that they believed could lead to a sexual assault.