Google ranking on rape at universities

Just as I was hoping it'd turn out the way I expected to when it comes to Google search results on rape and universities when I blogged on a very serious issue of rape on campus by supplying some facts and numbers last week. Now, when you Google the words"Gallaudet University" and "rape" will you find my recent blog on forcible sex or rape at Gallaudet University as #2 on the list of search results while a blog piece I did in 2006 came up as #1. So, hopefully my recent research will help those come to a realization on just how many students' lives have been affected by that crime. And start asking serious questions for a change.

It's a bit sickening whenever one puts the value of rape victims at a much lower priority in the effort to protect Gallaudet University at all cost.  I'd say that these things need to be exposed often and hopefully somebody or the administration will find a way to address this very problematic situation that has been going on for years. And by doing so would make Gallaudet University a better and safer university for that matter. If people can't see that then certainly something is wrong with them. Heartless would be the word. Shame on them for protesting against raising awareness of this serious forcible sex crimes or rape against students at Gallaudet University.  Loyalty is certainly misplaced. Think of the victims for a change instead of your own selfishness.

Gallaudet University ranked #5 on number of forcible sex or rape reported on campus?

Update: See updated rape figures for 2010 year here in a new blog piece. 

I crunched some numbers on the number of forcible sex or rape that occurred in 292 colleges and universities, including Gallaudet University, that have enrollment figures between 1,000 and 2,000.  I selected private nonprofit colleges and universities that have 4-year or higher academic offerings. Data gathered are on forcible sex offenses or rape that were reported in 2007, 2008 and 2009.  I selected data reported only on main campuses (and not satellite campuses) that have student residential facilities or dormitories. The reported data for each college and university can be found in The Campus Safety and Security Analysis from the US Dept of Education (go to main page to get the required data)

Gallaudet University enrollment is 1488 according to the The Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis from the US Dept of Education. For my data analyses I selected universities and colleges with enrollment numbers between 1,000 and 1,499, and another data set on enrollment numbers between 1,500 and 1,999 students. The most current data from 2007, 2008 and 2009 were used to determine the total number of reported forcible sex or rape in the effort to establish a ranking. 

For a complete Excel spreadsheet on the 292 colleges and universities on the number of reported forcible sex for year 2007, 2008 and 2009 please go here to download the spreadsheet I created.

I have found that the combined number of reported forcible sex or rape for year 2007, 2008 and 2009 showed that Gallaudet University is ranked 5th based on the total number of reported forcible sex or rape cases when compared to 291 other colleges and universities. Most of the crimes occurred in dormitories. Not surprising. In 2007 Gallaudet University reported 6 forcible sex or rape,  2008 with 4 cases and 2009 with six reported cases for a total of 16 reported cases of forcible or sex on campus with 14 of them occurred in dormitories over three years.

When compared to 15 other colleges and universities that have a combined total of at least 10 reported cases of forcible sex or rape, Gallaudet University ranks 5th on the combined number of reported forcible sex or rape for year 2007, 2008 and 2009.

There were 153 (out of 292) universities and colleges that reported no forcible sex or rape for year 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Below are the order of ranking on the total number of reported forcible sex or rape cases for year 2007, 2008 and 2009 combined along with enrollment size (in 2009) seen in parentheses:

1 - Walla Walla University (1808) - 60 (note: this has been corrected due to numerical error in database. Walla Walla University had 0 reported forcible sex reported in year 2008).
2 - Warren Wilson College (1028) - 42
3 - Randolph-Macon College (1246) - 31
4 - Amherst College (1744) - 20
4 - Anna Maria College (1589) - 20
4 - Swarthmore College (1525) - 20
5 - Gallaudet University (1488) - 16
6 - Albion College (1738) - 15
7 - Knox College (1407) - 14
8 - Ohio Wesleyan University (1893) - 13
8 - Oklahoma Baptist University (1764) - 13
9 - Wartburg College (1800) - 12
10 - Virginia Wesleyan College (1336) - 11
11 - Colby-Sawyer College (1122) - 10
11 - Lawrence University (1483) - 10
11 - Notre Dame College (1872)- 10

Previous data for year 2006 came up with 5 reported cases of forcible sex or rape at Gallaudet University. The link shown does not provide any data for 2005.

What's disturbing is that only the number of forcible sex is required

On March 26, 2006 I did a blog on the number of forcible sex or rape for year 1991-1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Several years ago Gallaudet University instituted a new policy mandating dry dorms on campus. But even with dry dorms the number of rapes and sexual assaults on campus continues to go up when you compare official reports of 1 rape for the 1991-1992 year and fast forward to 1999 and beyond. For the year 1999 Gallaudet University officially reported 2 instances of forcible sex offenses or rapes. Even with the mandated dry dorms over the last several years official reports on forcible sex offenses or rapes did not stay low. In fact, it had gotten worse in most years since. In 2000 (3 forcible sex offenses or rapes), 2001 (5 rapes), 2002 (3 rapes), 2003 (7 rapes), and in 2004 with an official report required by federal law that 2 forcible sex offenses or rapes took place on the campus of Gallaudet University.

In summary based on what I have gathered:

2009 - 6
2008 - 4
2007 - 6
2006 - 5
2005 - n/a
2004 - 2
2003 - 7
2002 - 3
2001 - 5
2000 - 3
1999 - 2
1991/1992 - 1
 
Despite with one dry dorm (Ballard) and a strict alcohol policy of no public consumption on campus (including no drinking in the hallways and lounge rooms in dormitories) the number of reported forcible sex or rape did not go down. The trend continues to go up albeit slowly over the last several years .

In 1993 Gallaudet University, as reported in People magazine "Silent Screams," put together a task force on coming up with a comprehensive policy on sexual assault according to Dwight Benedict who was at the time Director of Student Life.

"We truly believe we've done our very best," counters Benedict. "We put together a task force on sexual assault just last year."  Organized in July, the task force is still in the process of coming up with a comprehensive policy on sexual assault for the next group of incoming freshmen. It is required by federal law.

Done "our very best" as quoted in 1994?

Fast forward to 2011 Dwight Benedict is now the Dean of Student Affairs and the heavy question today is why the majority of colleges and universities similar to Gallaudet University in enrollment size have done better with ZERO reported forcible sex or rape for year 2007, 2008 and 2009? And yet Gallaudet University managed to rank 5th based on my analysis for year 2007, 2008 and 2009. What happened? Why the number of reported cases forcible sex or rape have stayed high?

And to make matters worse, rape is considered to be a form of bullying as well when physical/sexual assault is concerned by creating a hostile environment for the victim. How many students who were victims of forcible sex or rape who reported the crime decided to leave Gallaudet University? How many students who were victims never reported the crime decided to leave Gallaudet University?

Forcible sex or rape is reported on Gallaudet University's Annual Crime and Fire Safety Reports website for year 2007, 2008 and 2009 but it's not so easy to find it once you land on the main Gallaudet University website. And there are no long term data that are easily accessible on older forcible sex or rape crime information.

What we are seeing on the number of reported cases on forcible sex or rape is inexcusable when compared to the rest of the 291 colleges and universities of similar size with campus dormitories that have zero number of reported cases of forcible sex or rape.  This is a serious problem for Gallaudet University and  need to be addressed more seriously. Would any parents want to send their son or daughter to school knowing the number of forcible sex or rape that have happened over the years and seeing that it has not gone down but up?

But here's a question worth looking into about the possibility that the number of forcible sex or rape might be even higher because when someone scream for help inside a dormitory, no one can hear the scream for help. Or that the campus climate might instill certain fear and/or stigma preventing victims from reporting the crime. Something that's similar to forcible sex or rape that have gone in residential schools.   Considering those possibilities the actual number of unreported forcible sex or rape crimes might actually be higher than what's being reported currently. Food for thought. Yet this is still a serious issue that has not gone away. It has somewhat gotten worse.

Exactly what are Dwight Benedict, who is the Dean of Student Affairs, and other Gallaudet University administrators doing to address this ongoing and increasing problem of forcible sex or rape crimes on campus?

And a final caveat about on reported offenses as seen in The Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis page where I have gotten my numbers:

The crime statistics found on this website represent alleged criminal offenses reported to campus security authorities and/or local law enforcement agencies. Therefore, the data collected do not necessarily reflect prosecutions or convictions for crimes. Because some statistics are provided by non-police authorities, the data are not directly comparable to data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting System which only collects statistics from police authorities.

I still reserve the right and to caution readers that not all data are completely or necessarily 100% accurate. This is the best available information that I've come across.

ADDENDUM: Here's sobering historical look of how many students did report their rapes back in the early 1990s. Click on this link and read what victims at Gallaudet University had to say.

Has the problem actually gotten worst now at Gallaudet University? Let's see a better, much improved campus environment and security, and that students are better informed about rape on campus. No one should suffer and be a victim of rape.