Each school year, universities reintroduce themselves to their students, flooding them with exciting opportunities, programs and events. The fall semester, however, yields a community of students who have been forced into disillusion. The Red Zone marks the period of time between the first day of classes and Thanksgiving break, when most sexual assaults occur at institutions of higher education (IHEs).
When the processes in place for survivors fail, over and over again, the luxury of collegiate bliss is stripped from these students. I know this, because I was one of them. Fifty percent of sexual assaults that occur on college campuses happen during the Red Zone.
Female identifying college students are twice as likely to be sexually assaulted than they are to be robbed. Most times, the assailant is someone the victim knew and trusted. Through Title IX, colleges are supposed to have adequate support and processes in place in order to confront this sobering reality.
Yet , despite this, most schools do little more than window dressing. Support for survivors of sexual violence at IHEs stops at the signage, especially during this time period that matters most. Among the countless flyers for fall semester activities covering college campuses, students can also find resources for sexual assault and Title IX.
This messaging invites students to feel empowered and seek support if they have been a victim of sexual trauma on campus. By my junior year of college, having seen Title IX signa.