University of Denver students demand campus data on sexual assault
Students at the University of Denver are demanding the release of what they say is critical data regarding sexual assault and gender violence in their community. They claim the results of a campus climate survey are overdue and say DU officials have failed to respond.
CBS Colorado was at DU in 2020 when students rallied at a silent protest to raise awareness and support survivors of assault.
Now, students say it's the administration that's being silent.
Last year, DU invited students to participate in a campus climate survey. According to the university website, the survey "measures the perceptions of and experiences with sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence, DU's response and available resources."
Students are still waiting for the results.
On the @WeCanDUBetter Instagram page, the organization writes:
"DU has not responded to our previous post [4/5/23] demanding the release of critical data regarding sexual assault on campus."
"Why are they scared to release this information? We already know that DU looks significantly worse than similar schools in the survey results."
"DU is scared of the impact these results will have on the school's reputation. Student safety is not a marketing opportunity. We demand transparency."
Nina Woodman is president of student group Do Better: University of Denver. They strive to create a campus that supports and stands with survivors of sexual and gender violence.
Woodman says students were told they should expect to see these results at the end of March.
"We've clearly shown them that students want this data. We've spoken to Title IX. We've spoken to CAPE. We've spoken to Thrive," said Woodman. "These are all organizations affiliated with ensuring gender equity on campus, and we have never gotten a clear response."
CBS Colorado's Tori Mason asked DU why these results have not been made available to students.
DU Media Relations replied:
"The data is in the final pre-release stage now and will be available in the coming weeks, if not sooner."
The delay makes students like Woodman wonder what's in those results.
"I think it's because this data is intimidating and proves DU is lacking in its culture," said Woodman.
According to campus sexual violence statistics from RAINN, 26.4% of undergrad females and 6.8% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation.
Several anonymous posts on the WeCanDUBetter instagram include graphic stories from undergraduates.
One student wrote:
"I had been drugged. I never truly accepted that I was raped. Because he was my boyfriend. I assumed I must've been lucid at some point."
DU student Ailis Shank-Root heard of the WeCanDUBetter movement in 2020 and has since become a leader in the organization.
"A lot of their stories talk about friendships that crossed the line. Some talk about the use of different substances and being drugged. Feeling violated. A lot of people talk about how campus safety wasn't respectful to them or conscientious of the trauma they had just been through," said Shank-Root.
The 2020 rally happened just before the COVID shutdowns and Shank-Root feels the university's commitment was lost in the pandemic. She hopes what they call the university's slow response doesn't lead to fewer reports of trauma.
"There are people who believe their stories and want to support them and want to see change on our campus, so it doesn't happen again," said Shank-Root.
CBS Colorado asked DU if they're able to share any data from their pre-release report.
DU Media Relations wrote:
"I am not able to share any of the results because we will release them to our DU community before they go out to anyone else."
Woodman says they have a march planned for next week, and hopes the survey data is released before.
"We're hoping that this further outcry of students will push the university. If not, we have to just keep fighting."
CBS Colorado met with Woodman and Shank-Root ahead of DU's Take Back the Night event, a safe space that allow survivors of sexual assault share their stories.
DU survivor resources can be found here:
studentaffairs.du.edu/health-counseling-center/survivor-advocacy/du-community-support
National Sexual Assault Hotline
Free and Available 24/7
1-800-656-4673
https://www.rainn.org
