Vol. 119, No. 11 Sept.

24-26, 2018

OPTIMISTIC?
Only three sexual assaults reported during
this semester’s ‘Red Zone,’ but that might
not tell the full story

By Elena Rose
The Daily Collegian

Three.
This is the
number of
reported
sexual as-
saults Penn
State Univer-
sity Police has
received since students re-
turned for classes nearly six processes and
weeks ago. procedures,”
That time frame corre- McPherson said.
sponds with the Red Zone, “[Something] you
the first six weeks of classes expect when you’re
when the majority of sexual doing prevention out-
assaults occur on college reach is a lot of aware-
campuses. ness around it. It’s the
“If there’s just [three] re- time we’re in.”
ported sexual assaults, I In the era of #MeToo — as
can say with absolute cer- well as other social and polit-
tainty that [those are] not ical movements that provide
all the sexual assaults that voices to those who have
are happening on this cam- been sexually assaulted — who
pus or near this campus,” McPherson said it’s easy to seek
said Jennifer Pencek, the imagine more people will re- help
programming coordinator at port because others assume through
Penn State’s Gender Equity they feel more comfortable the GEC,
Center. or supported. Pencek
According to Penn State’s Reports show that has not said, shows
Timely Warnings, the past been the case — at least there have
three years’ worth of report- since the #MeToo move- been far more
ed sexual assaults at the uni- ment arose — in State Col- sexual assaults
versity haven’t consistently lege. than those re-
matched Red Zone indica- The first sexual assault of ported to police.
tors. If anything, the number this semester was reported According to Pencek, who that statistic, 8.8 percent of
of sexual assaults reported to University Police on Sept. has worked at the GEC for those are female and 2.2 per-
to University Police and the 8. Two additional assaults the past five years, the center cent are male.
dates in which they occurred were both reported on Sept. assists between 100 to 130 in- In total, this means rough-
seem to stagger arbitrari- 21, with two females alleging dividuals who were sexually
ly 6,000 Penn State students
ly, with little they were assaulted by the assaulted each year. It is also
same individ- predicted that many other are sexually assaulted every
consistency
from Red Zone
“We’re starting to ual. individuals do not report or school year.
to Red Zone. see some of those At the cur- seek help through resources Additionally, it is predicted
In spring shifts in greater rent point in like the GEC. that 21 percent of transgen-
2015, four sex- society. We could this semester On average, only 27.5 sexual der, genderqueer and non-
ual assaults — as students assaults have been reported conforming students will
hope that the enter the each year since spring 2015. experience sexual assault in
were reported
during the Red numbers are go- sixth week At best, this means slightly college, according to RAINN.
Zone, all with- ing down, [but] I of classes — over one-fourth of the sexual Further, RAINN concluded
in a two-week really don’t know if an average assault cases handled at the that most sexual assaults on
period. That of 4.3 sexual GEC are also reported to
that would be the assaults are University Police.
college campuses tend to oc-
was the same cur in August, September,
case the fol- case.” typically re- Pencek noted individuals
ported to Uni- often are not comfortable October or November — a
lowing fall. Sarah McPherson
Director of Outreach and versity Police. enough to report sexual as- standard that continues to
No sexual
assaults were Education for CCWRC In the past saults to police for myriad fluctuate at Penn State.
reported in six Red Zones reasons — most notably, due While McPherson and
the spring 2016 at Penn State, to fearing disbelief from oth- Pencek hypothesized about
Red Zone, with the fall 2016 just 28 sexual assaults have ers, blame and potential re- the low rate of reported sex-
Red Zone containing five re- been reported. To McPher- percussions that reporting ual assaults, they admitted
ported sexual assaults. son, it would be a relief to may bring in addition to their there is no easy explanation
There were five reports of believe the number of sexual traumas. for why they dip and peak
sexual assault in the spring assaults is decreasing. “Do we live in a time where throughout semesters. Uni-
2017 Red Zone. Like this year, She’s not quite sure if she survivors are always feel versity Police also did not
only three were reported does, though. like they’re supported?” provide comment in time for
last fall. However, this past “Things are shifting as Pencek asked. “There’s still
publication.
spring semester five sexual far as getting information so much victim blaming that
assaults were reported in out there, training preven- happens — and I can’t speak In the meantime, though,
the Red Zone. tion and awareness around for all victims or survivors, Pencek said it is important
Sarah McPherson, direc- the #MeToo movement,” obviously — but I think for students do the best they
tor of outreach and educa- McPherson said. “We’re some things, they could just can to support victims as
tion for the Centre County starting to see some of those be very much afraid of what they handle the traumas that
Women’s Resource Center, shifts in greater society. We might happen to them.” come with sexual assault.
finds the seemingly arbitrary could hope that the numbers According to a study con- “The more that we can sup-
fluctuation of sexual assault are going down, [but] I really ducted by Rape, Abuse & In- port these people, perhaps
reports puzzling. don’t know if that would be cest National Network, 11.2 you would see more of them
“You kind of expect [re- the case.” percent of all undergraduate feel comfortable to come for-
porting] numbers to go up, To others like Pencek from and graduate students will ward,” Pencek said.
because you’re getting that the Gender Equity Center, experience sexual assault
information to more people that’s harder to believe. through physical force, vio- To email reporter: ejr5411@psu.edu.
and hopefully improving The amount of students lence or incapacitation. Of Follow her on Twitter at @eljoro123.