CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT / BLOG 4

The Association of American Universities came out with a new, shocking survey this week about sexual assault and misconduct on college campuses. These surveys interest me largely because I learned about so many of them in Sex Crimes and Society, a course I took last semester with Dr. Mancini. Often times surveys are "unofficial" and don't cover every aspect of the topic which makes them hard to live by religiously.

The discrepancies can come from only focusing on one gender instead of both males and females, not spreading the school pool large enough geographically or from being too broad on what "sexual misconduct" really means. For this survey, the AAU looked at cases ranging from rape and attempted rape to unwanted fondling or kissing. Although this is more thorough, critics say that equating rape and unwanted kisses isn't right to the victims of these crimes as rape often leads to more serious psychological disorders in the future. Another issue that often arises is women's likelihood of reporting crimes. Out of almost 800,000 students who received the survey questions, only 150,000 took part.

There are many more critiqued aspects of this survey discussed in the article that I read but honestly this is how I look at it: it's a new survey about a very old problem. The more information that we find out about sexual assaults the better. That way one day a seemingly "perfect" survey can one day be created so we can combat this issue properly.

That “perfect” survey would consist of the following: equal accounts by females and males between a relevant age grouping across various kinds of schools around the nation (i.e. community colleges, large state schools, religious schools, ivy league status schools and more). Even more difficult, the surveyors would need to make sure that respondents are being 100% truthful and not omitting any information. A specified survey separated by type of offense. “Less” traumatizing offenses such as crude catcalling would not be weighed the same as something “as” serious as rape. These are only some of the things that need to be stabilized on the next official survey involving sexual misconduct on college campuses.

I’m glad that the AAU conducted this survey regardless of whether or not critics believe that it was properly done because it brings back to light the sexual misconduct issue and reminds everybody that even though there is far more education being given out on campuses around the nation, the problem still persists. Often times a problem will be talked about for so long and so hard (like this one has) that people become desensitized to the issue at hand. Reminders like this survey show that there is a larger issue that education itself cannot defend entirely on its own. Education paired with proactive tactics will be the only way to help end this epidemic around the country. With one step and one survey at a time, we can hopefully lower the numbers of sexual misconduct cases on campus and in the streets.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/22/health/campus-sexual-assault-new-large-survey/index.html

INDIA / BLOG 3

Sexual assault in India is finally receiving the national attention that it should be. I have a vivid memory from when I was a junior in high school when my teacher played a video for my class that showed the gender indifference and violence toward women in India. Having a baby and finding out that she is a female is considered a necessary situation for abortion. Women are looked at as unfavorable to men. That mindset within an entire country, especially one as large as India, without a doubt must play a role into the sexual violence issue that India has. Madison Park wrote the article "India grapples with rape and sexual violence" for CNN.com and discussed how recent crimes that have been heard about worldwide has affected the country and how Indian lawmakers have responded by creating “tougher laws and punishments for sexual crimes and harassment”, which have not lower their sexual assault numbers in any way.

In a mind-blowing number, rape cases in India have risen almost 900% since 1975. In response and as I wrote about before, Indian government have begun making the sentences tougher on sexual assault perpetrators and have even implemented the death penalty for repeat offenders. Unfortunately, while the laws may change it is ultimately up to the society to change their viewpoints on women in general before these numbers will begin letting up in any way. Sexual violence in India is an absolute epidemic and while many times people say that things need to get worse before they get better, I believe they have already gotten worse. It is time for them to get better.

Slowly but surely India can recover from this. Park shed some positivity on this topic at the end of her article stating that men and women around the country have come together to help educate and prevent more sexual violence. While the current census says that there are only 940 women to every 1,000 men, it is up to the young males of the country to become educated and mature and learn how to respect the gender that keeps their population going generation after generation.

If the world continues to respond as incredibly as they have to recent stories in India, maybe the message will begin to get across and a sweeping opinion can change in the country. Gang rapes and child assaults are not only heinous, but extremities. They are the kind of shocking story that has already gotten the world talking and will continue to do so. Times have changed in America and other developed countries and India will have to get there at some point.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/world/asia/india-rape-problem/index.html

MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT / BLOG 2

I am truly so beyond tired of hearing about the topic of rape and sexual assault. Now, I'm aware of how insensitive that sounds. However, as a 22-year-old female college student studying Criminal Justice, I have been bombarded with information on the topic since I was 18. It's been the same information broadcasted in a different manner every year, every semester, every course. I've learned how to avoid situations that may lead to an assault, how to fend off a perpetrator, what to do if I do get assaulted and who is required to report what I tell them and so much more. It should be something that is beaten so dead by everyone and everything that it shouldn't occur anymore.

Well, it should be. That does not mean that it is.

A simple search on CNN.com brings up countless news stories on athletes particularly who have sexual assault or rape charges on them or who have recently had them dropped. Rarely are these cases proven. Rarely are these news stories anything different. It's the same old story every single time.

How is sexual assault still something that happens so frequently?

I read an article that sheds light on the positive side of this issue. How sexual assault in the US Military has dropped over the last couple of years.

In "Sharp decrease of sexual assault in military, study finds", Steven Holmes writes about how the number of sexual assault cases reported by personnel has dropped by about 27% in the last two years. The big question is always "how many cases go unreported?" and that is still too difficult to tell. The one thing that seems to be helping the cause is that there is pressure on legislation change so that the military is not in charge of prosecuting alleged sexual assaults. Bringing these issues to an “independent body” may prove to be more successful in sentences, which could have warded off the assaulting behavior.

This article title was misleading because although these numbers are the lowest since 2013, the numbers are only back down to what they were in 2010. In 2010, 19,000 persons a year or about 52 cases a day arise from unwanted sexual contact within the military.

Even though the numbers are lower than they have been, there is still a lot of work to be done. The military exercises a “no tolerance” policy and 19,000 cases a year is far, far from something that they are aiming to deal with. There needs to be more efforts put forth to lower than number even further while keeping reporting truthful.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/world/asia/india-rape-problem/index.html

WOMEN ASSISTING IN CRIMES / BLOG 1

            Although early theories involving gender and crime are no longer what are used today in criminology, ideas such as the masculinity and chivalry hypotheses lend to the misconception that women do not commit crimes as often and are considered to be victims more often. Simply because those theories were once around means that there was an understanding once upon a time and people today still somewhat hold that understanding. Although it has been proven that women commit some crimes less than men, they tend to hold certain positions in criminal happenings in a static manner. Women are thought of to many times be the aid or helper in a crime where they are aiding another criminal, typically a male. There are many news stories on this but minimal scholarly articles.

            As reported by Carol Cratty of CNN, two women aided in what is being called a “hate crime” case in Kentucky. The women’s roles in the crime were to lure a supposedly homosexual man into a van where two men were awaiting to kidnap and later beat him. The women did not commit the crime that was largely being prosecuted against but were instead helpers and assisted in the actions leading up to the crime, which can allow them to be found guilty.

            Another case that brings to light women in the assistant’s role is one Tina Susman of the Los Angeles Times reports held the woman in jail for $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond bail. The woman accused, Joyce Mitchell, worked as a supervisor in a prison’s tailor shop. A prison that two inmates managed to escape from and “beat the odds” by being on the loose for over five days. Joyce was suspected of “promoting prison contraband”, which is a felony as well as befriending the inmates within her workplace. Mitchell pleaded not guilty but that doesn’t change the fact that the state found her suspicious enough to apprehend and arrest her in conjunction with this crime.

            Both of these stories showcase the different ways that women can aid in the carrying out of crime by a male counterpart. I don’t think that women are any less likely to commit crimes than men when on an equal scale but the facts are that the likelihood of committing crimes can be based off of testosterone levels, body types and more making it impossible to have men and women be on equal playing fields. I’m excited to see how in this course I will learn more about equality within criminology.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/13/justice/kentucky-hate-crime/index.html

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-new-york-prisoner-escapees-20150612-story.html