Understanding Campus Violence
Violence impacts us all in society, directly and indirectly; physically, sexually, mentally, emotionally, and financially. This website focuses on sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking, three forms of violence that occurs with unfortunate frequency on all college campuses. It impairs or destroys our sense of safety, trust, community and well-being.
Most violent acts occur between individuals who know each other (family, co-workers, schoolmates) rather than random strangers. This pattern holds true for college campuses as well; in most cases, the survivor knows the person responsible for committing the violence.
These forms of interpersonal violence are characterized by the use of sex or gender-based power by one or more people to dominate, control and violate another person. Additionally, they are crimes and a violation of law.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is any sexual contact without consent. The general term, sexual assault, covers a number of related crimes, including rape, which is penile-vaginal penetration. Other acts of sexual assault include oral copulation, anal intercourse, penetration of the anus or vagina with a foreign object, and touching an intimate part of another person, all without consent. The attempt to commit any act of sexual assault is also a crime.
The absence of informed consent distinguishes a crime from a sexual encounter. Every person possesses the right to decide whether and when to be sexual. Consent signifies active participation; this cannot be inferred or assumed.
Dating and Domestic Violence
Dating and domestic violence, also referred to as relationship or intimate partner violence, is the use of power by one person to control another within an intimate relationship. Signs of an abusive relationship include jealousy, possessiveness, isolating and controlling behavior, threats and intimidations, put-downs and name-calling, yelling, breaking things, physical and sexual assault, and financial coercion or control.
The rate of dating/domestic violence among undergraduate and graduate students is about the same rate as in the general population.
Abuse occurs in same-gender relationships as often as in relationships between people of different genders.
Stalking 
Stalking is a pattern of repeated and unwanted attention, harassment, contact, or any other conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. These collection of behaviors, at one time in the recent past, tended to be excused or minimized by society. Now, it is generally understood these pattern of behaviors that causes impact and anxiety, and impacts the survivor’s ability to pursue his/her education and live a whole and healthy life.
More than half of all stalking survivors are between 18 and 29 years old and most stalkers are an acquaintance, such as a former dating partner.
Dynamics of Interpersonal Violence 
The majority of the survivors of stalking, dating and domestic violence, and sexual assault outlined above are women, and the majority of the perpetrators are men. However, men are also survivors and women can be perpetrators. Violence occurs between people regardless of their gender and gender identity; the perpetrator and the victim might be involved intimately, or they may be acquaintances. The perpetrator may also be targeting someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, either real or perceived.
It is important to emphasize that most men are not perpetrators of violence. Sexual assaults are committed by a small number of men who are repeat offenders.
More than 90% of the time, perpetrators and their victims are within the same racial and ethnic group.
Only a small number of perpetrators have mental health problems. Perpetrator behavior is based in culturally supported beliefs about power, about who deserves respect, and about acceptable behavior in sexual and intimate relationships.
Perpetrators of sexual assault and relationship violence sometimes blame their violence on being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcohol or drugs may be used in an attempt to mask their actions, but the underlying beliefs that govern their behavior are established apart from any substance.
For statistics about these crimes, see UC Clery Stats in UC Publications.
