Data from a university official recently revealed reports of sexual assault increased by more than 100 in 2016 at UW-Madison, but the report included additional information about the nature of the reports as well.
A lack of information
To a large extent, the numbers are clouded by uncertainty: Of the 325 reported cases, 215—roughly two-thirds—were reported to confidential sources, who don’t disclose details of the assault. That statistical shortage limited the revelations the data could provide.
More than 77 percent of the assaults occurred at an unknown location, and in 170 of the reports, or 52 percent of them, it was unknown whether the victim and assailant were acquaintances. The respondent was identified as a UW-Madison student in just 21 of the reported cases. Additionally, the degree of sexual assault was unknown in three-fourths of cases.
Report details
Despite these blind spots, the data still contained some striking discoveries. Half of the reports, 36 of them, with known locations occurred on campus; of those, 15 occurred in residence halls. In 31 percent of the reports, there was known alcohol and/or drug use.
The data also analyzed whether the victim and assailant knew each other; in 38 percent of cases the victim and assailant did know each other, and in 10 percent they did not. When they were acquaintances, the percentage of higher-degree sexual assaults was greater: For victims and assailants who knew each other, 27 percent of reports involved first, second or third degree assaults; for those who did not, just 16 percent of cases involved these degrees of assault. In either case, alcohol and/or drug involvement was high: 44 percent for acquaintances, and 48 percent for non-acquaintances.
The reports resulted in 15 investigations, one expulsion and three suspensions; five cases are still in progress. Culpability for sexual assault also sometimes included educational sanctions, such as mandatory alcohol education or restrictions on extracurricular activity participation.
None of the incidents were discovered to be unfounded after law enforcement investigations.
Comparison to past reports
The 325 reported sexual assaults represented a roughly 50 percent increase from 2015, and a 166 percent increase from 2013. Still, the data alone can’t give a definitive answer for the root cause of these increases: Are they attributable to more sexual assaults, or better reporting?
According to Tonya Schmidt, assistant dean and director in the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, university efforts to improve access to reporting deserve at least some of the credit. Schmidt said actions such as hiring a full-time Title IX coordinator and requiring additional sexual assault education for students have made a difference.
“UW-Madison has made a concerted effort over the past several years to break down barriers to reporting and encourage more students to come forward and seek assistance,” Schmidt said. “We believe the increase in reports is a sign that prevention, education, and outreach efforts are working.”
