1 in 4 Women Experience Sexual Assault During Their Undergraduate Careers: Here's How We Change That

I would begin my blog post by including the US Department of Justices' definition of sexual assault that can be found here. Then, I will discuss data presented in this New York Times article such as, but not limited to, how new studies conducted at Ivy League Universities have revealed that more than 1 in 4 undergraduate women admit to being sexually assaulted, and transgender students had higher rates of assault than students who identify as women. I will also discuss how 3/4 victims don't report that they've been assaulted because they feel as though it wasn't "serious" enough (mostly because they don't know exactly what sexual assault is), or they feel that their claims won't be taken seriously by counselors or authorities.

How One Columbia Student Who Earned The Name of "Mattress Girl"

Here I will introduce Columbia student Emma Sulkowicz, (with information from this article) who taught me as well as most of America that sexual assaults are not being handled on campus properly by carrying her mattress around campus, and eventually graduation. I will tell her story; why the mattress was being carried around (the University neglected to take action after she reported being raped even though she knew the man who raped her, and apparently has raped two other females and been found guilty), why she carried it around for so long (refused to stop carrying it around until the person who assaulted her was no longer attending the University). I'll mention how this brought a new light to sexual assault, and opened a lot of eyes. 

Sexual Assault On College Campuses Is Finally Getting The Attention It Deserves From The Government

These eyes being the White House--I would introduce the Not Alone initiative, organized by the White House Task Force to protect students from sexual assault. Their plan includes, but is not limited to, how the government is asking for surveys from every university to scope the severity of the issue at hand, preventative measures for sexual assault as well as how to involve men, how to train counselors/authorities at school on effectively responding to sexual assault reports (new confidentiality components, new sexual assault misconduct policies, newer and better disciplinary systems, and community partnership) as well as increased transparency and improved enforcement on these actions. I can expand a lot on this, as there's a lot of data especially because the CDC teamed up with the White House to provide strategies on preventing sexual assault, from evidence they have found in numerous studies; But I mainly want to bring more attention to preventing sexual assault and what to do after it happens, if it happens that is. 

There was also a Presidential Proclamation released, introducing the concept of having the April of every year be National Sexual Assault and Awareness Month. I will describe how this is wildly beneficial to people of any age or gender, but especially young children who may learn more in primary school as a result of this.

How The University of Maryland Is Taking Action Against Sexual Assault

I will include information about the CARE to Stop Violence Initiative at the University of Maryland. 

I will be interviewing one of the CARE coordinators and/or a counselor at UMD [Insert Video Here]

Possible Questions:

• What do you feel is the most important component to preventing sexual assault?
• Why should students report being sexually assaulted and how can they do this at the University of Maryland?
• How else can students become educated on sexual assault prevention?