A poster for the KU office of Institutional Opportunity and Access "Speak Up" campaign.

By the numbers: Sexual violence at KU

Close to 900 Kansas University undergrad and graduate students took the 2013 Climate Survey administered by the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access. Respondents were 65 percent female and 35 percent male.

This is what they reported:

• 11 percent have been the victim of sexual harassment, including sexual violence, while at KU.

• Of those, 2 percent reported it to the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access.

• Of students who didn’t report it, 2 percent were under the influence and either believed intoxication made them at fault for the harassment or didn’t want to get in trouble for being intoxicated. Another 2 percent feared retaliation or stigma. Less than 1 percent reported it to another KU office.

• 11 percent have witnessed sexual harassment, including sexual violence, while at KU.

• Of those, 3 percent reported it to KU.

• Of students who did not report it, 3 percent said it was none of their business and they didn’t want to get involved. 2 percent said the victim told them not to.

• 91 percent know it violates KU policy to have sex with someone who is too incapacitated to give consent.

• 25 percent know about the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access.

• More than 30 percent do not provide any sexual assault training for students.

• More than 40 percent have not conducted a sexual assault investigation in the past five years. (Federal law requires every institution that knows of sexual violence to conduct an investigation into the incident.)

• More than 10 percent do not have a Title IX coordinator, as required by federal law.

“If we don’t get the support to her and handle her case right, it may be something that years from now she hasn’t recovered,” McQueeny said. “And our male students, we’re changing the course of their lives. So that’s why prevention and the education is critical to me, because I want to be able to reach them before they’re coming in here for an interview.”

Last month, the federal Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight released a report revealing that many higher learning institutions fail to follow the law and best practices for investigating sexual assaults on their campuses, educating students and supporting victims.

KU was not among schools asked to participate in that survey, McQueeny said.

How KU investigates

KU created IOA about two and a half years ago. McQueeny became its first executive director in May 2012.

She’s the designated Title IX coordinator for KU's Lawrence campus. In addition to other discrimination complaints, Institutional Opportunity and Access investigates sexual violence and sexual harassment cases because they fall beneath the umbrella of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education.

IOA investigates any on-campus assault and most off-campus assaults involving students if they are reported, McQueeny said.

Complaints come from victims themselves, witnesses or KU employees, who are required to report sexual violence to IOA, she said. Complaints can be filed online, by fax, by mail or by phone.

“We try to remove as many barriers as possible so that people are encouraged to report,” McQueeny said.

IOA investigations are separate from criminal investigations, though McQueeny said her office informs all victims that they can also file a police report.

The IOA can rearrange a victim's class schedule and place her alleged attacker on disciplinary probation or move him to a different residence hall as soon as a complaint is filed. If he’s found guilty, KU can ban him from campus and even order restitution to, for example, fix a victim’s broken door, pay for her counseling or cover out-of-pocket hospital costs.

Law enforcement has more investigative powers, such as ordering DNA tests and issuing subpoenas. If an attacker is ultimately convicted in court, he can be sent to prison.

But the legal process takes longer and can be even more intimidating for victims. Plus, the burden of proof to send someone to prison is high, whereas KU requires no conviction to help a victim avoid her alleged attacker on campus.

“That, I think, is why we probably have a lot of people who come talk to us,” McQueeny said.

Students underreport

Almost 20 percent of undergraduate women have been victims of sexual violence or attempted sexual violence in college, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2012 sexual violence fact sheet.

At KU, 11 percent of students say they have been the victim of sexual harassment, including sexual violence, according to the IOA’s 2013 “climate survey,” to which about 900 graduate and undergraduate men and women responded. Of victims, 2 percent said they reported the violence to IOA.

Students who didn’t report cited reasons including fear of getting in trouble for being intoxicated (which McQueeny said would not happen), stigma or retaliation.

“We still have underreporting, so we’re still trying to unlock that,” McQueeny said. “What can we do to make sure people understand that reporting is a good thing?”

Right now, students preparing to start fall classes are watching an online video explaining what sexual assault is, common myths and where to get help. KU requires students to watch the video, via Blackboard, and take a quiz at the end.

This fall students can expect to see posters on campus advertising the IOA’s “Speak Up” campaign, encouraging students to report if they or someone they know has been the victim of sexual assault.

Of complaints that do make their way to IOA, investigations find evidence to support them in all but about 10 percent of cases, McQueeny said.

As for remaining cases, she said, insufficient evidence does not mean the claims are false.

“They’re really hard cases to prove because there’s two people involved,” she said, “and there’s usually quite a bit of alcohol.”

Comments

Just the threat of a sexual assault is very alarming, and can be stressful beyond belief, especially if it's not the first time such an event took place.

I know of one person who was threatened with sexual assault while inside an apartment by an employee of the apartment complex who simply showed up and knocked on the tenant's door. He didn't know the tenant at all, and was soliciting sex. He was very clearly refused.

The manager of the apartment complex caught him just before he kicked open the door. Then he began an obscene tirade, during which he claimed that the tenant wanted to have sex with him. (Obviously so, that's why the tenant left the door closed and locked.)

After the assault, which fortunately only reached the verbal level due to the manager's quick action, the victim spent 21 days in a hospital, at a cost to the taxpayers of about $21,000 so far, but the tenant's treatment is nowhere near complete. That's a good beginning, though.

And guess what. The employee of the apartment complex was not even fired, he was right back at work. I suppose the attitude was: "Boys will play."

This problem is deplorable, and yet, the absolutely disgusting and rancid kinds of filth that we wee today that passed for "entertainment" makes me wonder. Just where are these guys getting the idea that all women are "ready and willing" to "get it on"?? Hmmmm......

You see all sorts of deviant sexual behavior in the filth on current network television garbage, you see cable shows like "Naked and Afraid" What the hell is this all about???

People must be watching and enjoying all this debauchery, it is so prevalent on our various "entertainment" sources.

I think that until the media cleans up it's act (highly doubtful, money talks and "BS" walks) we will continue to see one source of the mindset that brings on all this foolishness.

There are 27,784 students enrolled at KU according to their online site. Nine hundred is a very, very small fraction of that. I wonder how they verify that each one is watching the video. It seems impossible to me.

Perhaps it would be helpful if parents started talking to their children about this when they begin dating so by the time they get to college they will be aware. I would wager the guys are just as drunk as the girls they assault. Even if you do watch the video and understand it perfectly when you are drunk in a club that is going to be the last thing on your mind. I think the girls are being way too trusting of guys they are meeting on campus for the first time.

I think it is very important to at least mention the possibility of pregnancy as the girl could not know this was going to happen. Are all girls attending KU supposed to start using birth control just in case they are assaulted? If there is a pregnancy what kind of help can she expect to get with that?

I guess alcohol does play an element in this, both for the male and female (male and male??) individuals involved in this problem. But I have been told that even if you are drunk, you will not willingly agree to something that you are opposed to.

That's true, but for anyone that is going to carry a pistol, professional instruction in its proper and safe use is a must. If someone is not comfortable and familiar with their weapon, it's not going to be as effective. Or worse - not effective at all.

I know a woman that was stranded beside the highway alone years ago. She was approached by a man with a pistol, aimed at her. His intentions were clear, and very unwanted.

This may sound unbelievable, but she kicked his pistol out of his hand and got away.

I do NOT recommend that for anyone, but in an emergency, you have to do whatever you are able to do.

My family was in Lawrence several months ago. We encountered a group of young adults on Mass Street on Sunday afternoon. One was brandishing a razor blade bracelet in his hand, dressed as a pirate and yelling, "Why won't anyone respect me?" and then proceeded to get into a fight. Later, he was seen arguing with a police officer. As far as I know, he was never arrested. Brandishing a razor blade in a threatening manner should have gotten him cuffed and arrested. With lax enforcement like this, what do you expect? My husband was so appalled, he said he didn't want to send his son to school there. By the way, we were there for my son's 7th grade Duke Talent Identification Program award. Lax enforcement can and will have impacts on who sends their kids to KU.