BOSTON — Sexual assault reports on Boston-area campuses have risen dramatically in the past several years, according to data supplied by colleges as required under the federal Clery Act.
Between 2008 and 2012, reports of forcible sex offenses rose by nearly 40% across 22 of the largest campuses in Boston. In 2012, a total of 113 sexual assaults were reported at Boston-area colleges — the highest level in a decade, The Boston Globe reports.
Harvard University has reported more sexual assault cases than any other college in Boston. In 2012, students reported 38 cases of sexual assaults, up from 19 in 2008. The University of Massachusetts, Boston reported the second-highest number of alleged assaults, at 13. Five years earlier, the institution did not report any assaults.
Campus safety experts believe the rise in reporting of sexual assaults suggests that many higher education institutions are improving efforts to address the issue through education, outreach and more thoroughly reporting such incidents.
For example, after students at Amherst College and Emerson College filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Education claiming that university officials violated Title IX requirements, both schools have made adjustments in handling sexual assaults.
Related Articles:
- Emerson College Faces Investigation for Mishandling Sexual Assault Cases
- Amherst College, Vanderbilt U. Accused of Violating Clery Act, Title IX Requirements
- Study: Students Not Impressed With College Sexual Assault Prevention Programs
- Harvard Law Faces Investigation for Title IX Violations
- How to Comply With the Dept. of Ed’s Title IX Sexual Violence Guidance
- How to Investigate Campus Sexual Assaults
