By Davon Dean |Staff Writer|
EverFi Inc., a technology company, has reported they have discovered high sexual assault rates among incoming college students.
On Feb. 25, 2015, the company stated that, according to a national student survey of incoming female college students, many women were sexually assaulted.
“Thirteen percent of incoming female college students reported that they were sexually assaulted before they arrived at college, with another three percent reporting an assault within just their first four to six weeks on campus,” stated the press release.
The website states that the first few weeks are a high-risk period for students who have been previously sexually assaulted.
The percentages are based on a sample set of 530,000 students within 400 institutions, one of the largest assessments in history, according to EverFi Inc.
EverFi Inc.’s chief executive officer (CEO) Tom Davidson, has made it his top priority to assist schools to understand the critical component of what the student voice is showing.
“Every campus is under incredible pressure to address this difficult issue,” said Davidson.
“We’re helping hundreds of campuses understand the critical component of student voice so they can incorporate programming that addresses the unique needs of their campus,” continued Davidson.
Based on the females who participated in the survey, 65 percent of them fall in the category of a “healthy profile” and 35 percent fall in the category of an “unhealthy profile.” Students who are considered “unhealthy profile” tend to engage in more high-risk alcohol use.
EverFi Inc. partners with over 700 higher education institutions to bring its innovative student wellness learning platform to students across the county.
“Over 33 percent of all incoming college freshmen utilize EverFi Inc. student wellness courses on the sexual assault prevention, alcohol abuse prevention and financial wellness,” stated the EverFi Inc. website.
Davidson pointed out an action plan to assist all campuses, stating if all campuses empower the critical quantity of students with healthy attitudes and behaviors, then victims could have a positive approach.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women with prior sexual assault history are at greater risk of being sexually assaulted multiple times due to the preexistence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“PTSD could give the victim the appearance of vulnerability in dangerous situation[s] and affect the ability of the victim to defend themselves,” stated the CDC website.
The website states the aftermath these women suffer from include alexithymia, dissociation and suicidal thoughts.
In efforts to help sexual assault victims, EverFi Inc. has integrated their Haven course in over 550 higher education institutions. This course meets the requirements of the federal Title IX and Clery Act.
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