Rape Culture On College Campuses

When looking to see if there is a rape culture on college campuses, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. In fact, there are major disagreements on whether a specific society meets the criteria to be considered a rape culture. The definition of rape culture was first coined by feminist in the 1970’s which described situations in which rape occurs and has been normalized due to society’s attitudes about gender and sexuality.
In recent years, there has been a major push towards educating students on sexual assaults, as well as an increased amount of support and resources provided by college institutions for sexual assault survivors. However, the Association of American Universities provided the famous statistic that shows one out of four female
The Harvard School of Public Health published a study measuring the commonness of rape under the condition of intoxication. The study found roughly one in twenty women reported being raped and in those cases 72% of the victims experienced rape while intoxicated and unable to consent (Mohler-Kuo, Meichun, et al. 39). This study also found women who resided in sorority houses, drank heavily in high school, and attended colleges with high rates of heavy episodic drinking were at a higher risk of rape while intoxicated (42). This evidence clearly shows a link between alcohol abuse and rape culture. It also shows universities with typical party cultures are linked with more cases of sexual assault possibly since it’s easier to commit sexual assault during a party. Rapists can hide within the crowd while also searching for a target who is more inebriated than the other party-goers. This environment allows rapists to commit sexual assaults with a low risk of being
In a nationwide survey, it was found “74% of perpetrators and 55% of the victims of rape had been drinking alcohol prior to the incident.” (149). This correlation is scary when you consider the purpose of many college frat parties are to drink and get drunk. Every female who drinks at a party is increasing their own risk of sexual assault by over 50%. The study also found an underlying issue with how American society views alcohol and sexuality. For example, many people believe alcohol enhances sexual feelings and performance and many men reported perceiving a woman as more sexually available and more likely to have intercourse if they are drinking compared to women who are not drinking alcohol (150). Not only do these findings validate the research of Mohler-Kuo et al., but also attest to Boswell et al.’s study on men in fraternities having a learned sexual behavior. More than half of college date rapists reported in the study that “they felt their status with their peers would be enhanced if they forced sex on a woman they drank with at a bar.” (151). It seems that these findings in Abbey et al. point to alcohol consumption playing a major role in male groups and learned sexual