Spring Break
Accounts of rape on campus generally go unreported
Tamar Weinberg
Issue date: 4/14/05 Section: News
04/14/05 - Rape and sexual assault is common on college campuses, including the University of Rhode Island. However, statistics show that most victims do not go to the police or seek help.
"Statistically one in four women are sexually assaulted," Keith LaBelle, the assistant coordinator of the Violence Against Women Prevention Program, said. "It happens here no more than anywhere else."
Rape, according to the Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center of R.I., is a form of sexual assault that results in unwanted penetration without one's consent, or when a person is unable to give consent.
Dean of Student Life Fran Cohen said more students seek help since the Violence Against Women Prevention Center was established four years ago.
"More people are coming forward for help, but there is still reluctance," Cohen said.
According to URI police, since September there have been only three sexual assault cases reported, and investigations stopped because the victims did not wish to continue. According to the URI Violence Against Women Prevention Program, only two percent of rapes are reported to the police.
"Victims don't want to go further with the investigations," Barbara McDonald, a campus police officer, said. "They don't want to continue with the pain that occurred."
McDonald said the prosecution process is long, and many times victims only have circumstantial evidence to prove their case. LaBelle said that anecdotally, there are cases of drug-facilitated sexual assaults, however the drugs pass through the body after victims arrive for testing.
Jennifer Longa, the coordinator of Violence Against Women Prevention Program, said the definition of rape can be unclear to victims, and many times women can feel violated or uncomfortable, but do not know they have been raped.
"Rape is most prevalent among acquaintances," LaBelle said. "Since it isn't a stranger, they [the victims] assume it's not rape."
"Statistically one in four women are sexually assaulted," Keith LaBelle, the assistant coordinator of the Violence Against Women Prevention Program, said. "It happens here no more than anywhere else."
Rape, according to the Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center of R.I., is a form of sexual assault that results in unwanted penetration without one's consent, or when a person is unable to give consent.
Dean of Student Life Fran Cohen said more students seek help since the Violence Against Women Prevention Center was established four years ago.
"More people are coming forward for help, but there is still reluctance," Cohen said.
According to URI police, since September there have been only three sexual assault cases reported, and investigations stopped because the victims did not wish to continue. According to the URI Violence Against Women Prevention Program, only two percent of rapes are reported to the police.
"Victims don't want to go further with the investigations," Barbara McDonald, a campus police officer, said. "They don't want to continue with the pain that occurred."
McDonald said the prosecution process is long, and many times victims only have circumstantial evidence to prove their case. LaBelle said that anecdotally, there are cases of drug-facilitated sexual assaults, however the drugs pass through the body after victims arrive for testing.
Jennifer Longa, the coordinator of Violence Against Women Prevention Program, said the definition of rape can be unclear to victims, and many times women can feel violated or uncomfortable, but do not know they have been raped.
"Rape is most prevalent among acquaintances," LaBelle said. "Since it isn't a stranger, they [the victims] assume it's not rape."
