Many Victimologists have hypothesized that domains actually create opportunities for specific types of victimization. For example, K–12 schools are specific types of domains that facilitate opportunities for bullying victimization among students. While bullying could certainly occur outside school, there are unique elements of the school domain that create opportunities for bullying, such as the convergence of motivated offenders and suitable targets in the same location at the same time. Like wise, colleges and universities possess characteristics that generate opportunities for particular types of victimization. For instance, many young adults in their late teens and early twenties, many living away from their families for the first time, come
…show more content…
Data indicate that the sexual victimization of college students by other students is fairly high, yet for a number of reasons, victim reporting of these crimes to law enforcement or campus administrators is low. Although institutions are mandated by the Clery Act to publicly disclose campus crime statistics, they cannot do so if victims do not report their experiences to law enforcement or campus administration. Another and related issue is that the campus climate acts as a mirror that both reflects and amplifies students’ attitudes. For instance, if male college students possess attitudes that encourage violence against women, these beliefs can be diffused across campus via Greek or other organizations and become a part of the campus culture. As an example, the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Yale University made headlines in 2010 when members and pledges assembled outside women’s residence halls at night and repeated the slogan “No means yes, yes means anal!” research has reported a strong positive link between rape-supportive fraternity culture and practices and rape perpetration risk. The acceptance by college students of “rape myths” contributes to a campus climate that is conducive to sexual violence. Rape myths are stereotypical and false beliefs about rape, rape victims, or rapists that serve to perpetuate or excuse sexual violence against women. The fraternity chant previously discussed is an example of a rape myth—that women who say “no” to sexual relations really means “yes” or that they just need “convincing.” Other examples of rape myths include the belief that victims are only raped by strangers or that provocative clothing is an invitation for
Data indicate that the sexual victimization of college students by other students is fairly high, yet for a number of reasons, victim reporting of these crimes to law enforcement or campus administrators is low. Although institutions are mandated by the Clery Act to publicly disclose campus crime statistics, they cannot do so if victims do not report their experiences to law enforcement or campus administration. Another and related issue is that the campus climate acts as a mirror that both reflects and amplifies students’ attitudes. For instance, if male college students possess attitudes that encourage violence against women, these beliefs can be diffused across campus via Greek or other organizations and become a part of the campus culture. As an example, the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Yale University made headlines in 2010 when members and pledges assembled outside women’s residence halls at night and repeated the slogan “No means yes, yes means anal!” research has reported a strong positive link between rape-supportive fraternity culture and practices and rape perpetration risk. The acceptance by college students of “rape myths” contributes to a campus climate that is conducive to sexual violence. Rape myths are stereotypical and false beliefs about rape, rape victims, or rapists that serve to perpetuate or excuse sexual violence against women. The fraternity chant previously discussed is an example of a rape myth—that women who say “no” to sexual relations really means “yes” or that they just need “convincing.” Other examples of rape myths include the belief that victims are only raped by strangers or that provocative clothing is an invitation for