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  • Essay / Sexual Violence on Campus: Determinants and Solutions

    Table of ContentsSocial Determinants of HealthIntrapersonalInterpersonalCommunityOrganizationPolicySolutionsIntrapersonalInterpersonalCommunityOrganizationPolicySummaryPublic Health ImplicationsAuthor ContributionsReferencesDespite federal laws and regulations in place, one in five women are affected by sexual violence at some point during of his academic career. Similarly, one in 71 men experience sexual violence while at university. Every 73 seconds, someone in the United States is raped and/or sexually assaulted, and on average, there have been 433,648 victims of this form of violence. Although all genders are affected, women have the highest statistics for sexual abuse. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"? Get the original essay From 2016 to 2018, the University of Iowa Rape Victim Advocacy and Advocacy Program reported 129 rape cases and 112 sexual assault cases on campus, while 58 incidents were reported off campus. These issues of sexual violence have increased significantly and are mostly unreported. Cases of sexual violence often go unreported for reasons such as insecurity, guilt, victim blaming/shaming, or fear of continued danger. This negatively affects the outcome of the crime, because without reporting the incident, the person committing the crime is able to assault other people, which only makes the problem more widespread and complex. During the first two months of the first and second semesters, upon arrival, both men and women are at the greatest risk of being victims of sexual assault. This is mainly because students are placed in a new environment where irresponsible actions are committed. We have chosen to focus on the topic of sexual assault at the national and state levels, as well as on Iowa State college campuses, focusing primarily and most in depth on the University of Iowa. We hope to educate people in our community and across the country about all aspects of sexual violence and how it can potentially be improved to create a safer environment for people in our community and across the country. Our group will address the individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and national levels of the ecological model to raise awareness of how each stage affects us.Social Determinants of HealthIntrapersonalSexual violence on college campuses can be affected by social determinants of health. - the intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, organizational and political levels, which identify all environmental factors and influences that can affect behavior. The intrapersonal level focuses on the individual's attitudes, knowledge, behavior, and beliefs. In the context of sexual violence, intrapersonality is the beliefs of the perpetrator and the reasons why they believe or think that what they are doing is acceptable. Sexual assaults on college campuses typically target women, particularly freshmen. Sexual violence is common on college campuses, approximately 30% of all sexual violence that occurs occurs on college campuses. Of the 30% of sexual assaults that occur on campus, it is primarily women who are assaulted, making women the largest group of people sexually assaulted. 25% of womenadmit to being sexually assaulted while at university. In general, it is not women who are in power, but rather men. Throughout history, women have been repeatedly repressed and this is still seen today through the number of women being sexually assaulted by men. Men are the main perpetrators of sexual violence. They prey on women because they are seen as helpless, vulnerable, insecure and lacking in self-confidence. InterpersonalRather than focusing on one's beliefs and behaviors, the interpersonal level is based on said person's social networks and social support systems. On an interpersonal level, many people who experienced sexual abuse early in life are more likely to become abusers themselves. Most victims are afraid to speak out and therefore find themselves alone with all this baggage and little or no support. A third of people who were sexually assaulted at a young age grow up to become sexual abusers. Recent research also shows that being abused among young people leads to many psychological problems such as multiple personality disorder and depression. After sexual assault, you can develop many mental health problems. Self-blame is very popular among victims. Feelings of shame and guilt were reported, as well as unhealthy ways of coping with the trauma. These can include addiction, self-harm, survivor's guilt, etc. These reasons may explain why people decide to keep the sexual assault to themselves and receive no support from the community. Their community is unable to help address such mental health issues when they go unreported or unknown. CommunityThe community level of the social-ecological framework model focuses on the social norms that exist between groups/individuals, which can limit or enhance healthy behaviors. This brings us back to the theme of sexual violence, as it is almost normal to take advantage of someone and get away with it because the victim is afraid to speak out. Either they think no one will believe them, or they're just afraid. It creates this norm of saying nothing and just letting it go, which leads to more aggression. At the community level, many cases of sexual assault are not reported or brought to the attention of the community. On college campuses, one of the biggest problems, besides high rates of sexual assault, is the low reporting rate of sexual assault. Out of one in five women who are victims of sexual assault, only one will report the attack. Without reporting, the act of sexual violence goes unreported, leaving the perpetrator capable of preying on another victim. Of the 2,071 male students surveyed, 950 of them admitted to sexually assaulting their peers more than ten times, particularly after consuming alcohol. Just under 50% of male students admitted to sexually violating another student, but most reports went unreported, thereby failing to bring attention to the problem at the university or the community. OrganizationOrganizational factors include rules, regulations, and policies that can impact a student's behavior. , whether positively or negatively. This may include stigma, tolerance, location, safety, etc. On college campuses, the risk of sexual assault may be increased. When new students evolve in a new environment and in the presence of newpeople, rates of sexual violence are generally increasing. The University of Iowa is a large state university located in Iowa City, Iowa. Over the past four years, sexual violence has steadily increased. In 2013, 54 sexual assaults were reported. In subsequent years, there was an increase in the last reported year. With sexual violence data from 2016, reported sexual assaults were 123, double the rates from 2013. Reports from 2016 show that 47 of the reported sexual assaults were reported. the sexual assault reports occurred on campus while 52 were off campus and the remainder were unknown. Half of all sexual assaults occur while an element of alcohol is involved, this statement remains true, especially for sexual assaults that occur on college campuses.PoliticalPolitical factors focus on policies and laws local, state and federal that may impact health and safety. well-being. Sexual assault policies in the state of Iowa vary depending on the situation and circumstances. There is a level of first, second, or third degree criminality, although all sexual assault crimes are classified as a felony. In Iowa, the sentence for the first degree would carry life in prison, the second degree could be up to 25 years in prison, and the third degree would carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000.7 Although there are laws in place for sexual assault perpetrators only. 7% of criminals are actually convicted of the crime. About 6% of people are arrested because of the crime. 6% are actually sentenced to prison. The actual length of sentence and amount of fine depends on the case and the state, but many sexual assault cases result in less prison time than the law requires, and most sentences are reduced after the initial conviction.SolutionsIntrapersonalBeing abused is a difficult obstacle for people to overcome, people don't like to talk about it, and some people have even admitted to being ashamed. It is also very common for people to develop mental illnesses as a result of the trauma they have experienced. Many people feel like they have no support, but when they feel supported by their family and community, they are more likely to get help. Research indicates that counseling can improve mental health and help people overcome personal problems and trauma. Counseling is available in many different forms, for example in person, online or by telephone. When victims feel supported, they are at increased risk of getting help. The help they receive can help them, to some extent, combat their mental illness. Even if counseling isn't an option, talk to someone reliable. Talking about the assault can make people feel supported. The University of Iowa offers free counseling to students enrolled in its Rape Victim Advocacy Program, or RVAP. The website is active and has contact details for where the building is and how to make an appointment for advice. Interpersonal With sexual assault rates increasing, many colleges are trying to find a way to protect students from sexual violence. Goshen College has implemented a solution. In the spring of 2015, they began bystander training. Today it's called PIN, a program set up toselect students who will be trained as spectators. Trained responders are equipped to respond in dangerous situations to help those in need. The program also allows students to continue their education since the program is student-led. According to Goshen College, almost all students have been trained as bystanders, prepared to properly intervene in uncomfortable situations that can escalate. CommunityOne way to help solve this problem and raise awareness is to have community, school, etc. with sexual assault organizations, making it a reality for everyone so that it's not just brushed aside like it's not important or didn't happen. Victims need to be heard and people need to be made aware, otherwise no one will ever do anything to stop this from happening. RAINN is an organization that does good work in this area. RAINN is the nation's largest organization fighting sexual violence. Their website has a little bit of everything; statistics, survivor testimonies, the latest news and a prevention navigator. A prevention navigator is a tool that schools and universities can use to find a sexual assault program that best fits their needs or situation. It allows users to explore programs and search program databases by key criteria and allows you to view student feedback and administrative information. Here at the University of Iowa, there is a website through the Office of the Sexual Misconduct Response Coordinator or OSMRC. The website has a place to report a sexual assault problem, and it also has resources for victims. The University of Iowa is working to make campus safer for everyone who needs to visit it. Organization The University of Iowa has taken many steps to try to ensure safety throughout of campus. College campuses are now required to provide accommodation and protection from anyone who has been sexually assaulted. Although the survivor has the option to report the assault to the police and law enforcement, they are assured by the campus saVE law that they will be protected from the person who raped them.13 The Rape Victim Advocacy Program is another program designed to help anyone who has been affected by sexual violence in many surrounding counties. The website and building have many online and in-person resources to help you. On the website, they offer lots of information on how to get medical, mental health, and academic help. Additionally, they have in-person services such as counseling and support groups. Through their services, they do not charge for any services offered, and under Iowa law, they are not allowed to release any information.8 The University of Iowa also has a website, the Office of the Misconduct Response Coordinator, which offers resources such as a place to report sexual misconduct and harassment, stalking, and dating violence. It also provides information on policies, how to help and get involved, and resources for people who have been sexually assaulted. These resources include personal accommodations, help finding a lawyer, surveys, and information about their rights. Around campus there are blue telephone stations, they are there as a resource for anyone in difficulty. The telephone station sends an alert to the police.