College rape: a silent struggle

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Story Published: Feb 13, 2008 at 4:49 PM PST

By Elissa Harrington

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UNIVERSITY OF OREGON - Rapes on college campuses are some of the least reported crimes.

A local doctor tells us at least three women at the U of O were recently raped but didn't want to tell police. Sexual assault say the bottom line is many times, rape victims feel reporting the crime will cause more harm than good.

It's a scary statistic. About one in four women in the U.S. will be sexually assaulted. Experts estimate more than 80 percent of college rapes and assaults go unreported. We asked, why? Wendy Maurer with Sexual Assault Support Services in Eugene says, "The reporting process is extremely intensive. It involves telling your story to many people. To many strangers."

Maurer suggests in a close-knit college community, news travels fast. Often times victims are ashamed, and fear their credibility will be attacked. "I think many people want to put it behind them as much as possible," she says.

Places like "SASS" hear of more rapes than police do. And it was a local doctor who told KVAL about three rapes at the U of O. None of them were reported to authorities. Students we talked to say that's alarming. "Ya it does concern me," says student Michelle Cherniski. "Rape always concerns me." "I think it's really important for kids on campus to know if something is happening," adds Freshman Rachel Heck.

Just one way the University is trying to encourage more of these victims to report these crimes is by offering services that keep their information confidential.

For some victims, it's filing this anonymous report form which helps the school track violent activity. Laura Blake Jones, the UO Interim Dean of Student Affairs says, "We might be able to pinpoint a similar location or similar individual who might be perpetrating assaults."

Plus, under a new state law, the campus health center has a sexual assault nurse examiner collect forensic evidence. The service is nicknamed "SANE." That way, if the victim ever does decide to tell police, the proof won't be lost.

But despite all this, advocates say until society changes the way it approaches sexual assaults and more victims come forward, that evidence won't put the rapists behind bars.

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