Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is unique among cases requiring on-campus discipline. The physical evidence in these cases rapidly deteriorates or is completely unavailable, and often the only witnesses are the victim and the guilty party. Such a dynamic makes it difficult to meet the current standard, since it is hard to accumulate enough evidence to meet the high burden of proof. This likely has the effect of discouraging students from pursuing claims of sexual assault in front of the Committee on Discipline because they feel that they will not be able to prove their cases.

Princeton is certainly exceptional in a number of ways, making it is easy to assume a problem like sexual assault “does not happen here.” Yet even in our ivory tower, sexual assault occurs. It is important to acknowledge that Princeton is part of and contributes to the national figures. We are no exception.

Princeton’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education program hosted a session of focus groups on April 2 to get student feedback for a new online orientation program on sexual harassment and prevention for incoming students.

Much like the current AlcoholEdu program that all students must complete before arriving on campus freshman year, the SHARE program would educate students about sexual assault issues. 

An online petition calling for the commissioning of an updated “Sexual Experiences Survey” has amassed over 1,100 signatures since it was first circulated on March 10.

An online petition seeking a new “Sexual Experiences Survey” has gathered over 900 signatures in the past two days. Director of the Princeton University Survey Research Center Edward Freeland said Tuesday that a potential new internal survey would not be necessary because the University is currently participating in a national study by the American College Health Association that will survey about 50 percent of University undergraduates on topics that include sexual assault.