Our commitment to women's human rights

The Department of Gender and Women's Studies

Over the past five years, the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies at Connecticut College, led by and in response to women student’s activism, has committed itself to creating a campus climate free of sexual assault.

This section explains our department's actions towards that commitment, the analyses that students and faculty members have created and links to national organizations that we have found helpful.

We are proud of this effort, which we see as our department's contribution towards the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the commitment of citizens of Connecticut to provide higher education for women. 

Research shows that 20 to 25% of college women are sexually assaulted over the four to five years of their college careers. Although we have no hard data for Connecticut College, the anecdotal experiences of women students testifies to our local version of this remarkable and unacceptable national reality.

Connecticut College also reflects national statistics in that 60% of our undergraduates are women, also the national average.  Over the past five years, we have not been able to avoid asking: what does it mean for women’s education in the United States that rape is so institutionalized on campuses?

The answer is in part that 80 to 90% of the assaults are acquaintance rapes. Given their multiple vulnerabilities, only 5% of student victims report their assaults, although most tell a friend about it. Another study shows that 63% of attackers are multiple assailants, and that each averages 5.8 assaults.

Here at Connecticut College, women students have consistently worked to oppose rape and sexual assault; but students are only here for four years, so it is difficult for students by themselves to significantly shift policies and practices. Surely, these statistics about the epidemic of rape on campuses reflect a political reality — administrators and faculty on college campuses have not sufficiently insisted that such behavior is unacceptable. A successful campaign must assume and build solidarity across students, faculty and staff for zero tolerance to rape.

Our department's efforts to date.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 15:28