TO THE EDITOR:
Monday, the University released a report from the AAU’s Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault. Preventing sexual violence has always been and will remain a top priority of the Summers administration.
The statistics listed in this report will help drive our continued efforts and expand our advocacy to ensure that Carolina can be a place where all students can live and learn in a safe environment.
24.3 percent of female undergraduate and 6.7 percent of male undergraduate respondents indicated experiencing sexual assault since enrolling at UNC. We will do our utmost to ensure that survivors feel supported in their decision-making process and will advocate for appropriate punishments for perpetrators of sexual violence in the University adjudication process.
Among the bystanders who witnessed someone acting in a sexually violent or harassing manner, a total of 52.6 percent indicated that “they did nothing.”
We are working to expand trainings for bystander intervention to ensure that every student at Carolina has the resources and skills they need to intervene before a sexual assault or sexual misconduct occurs. Only 35.5 percent of students were very or extremely knowledgeable about where to find help at the University if they or a friend are victims of sexual assault or sexual misconduct.
We will continue our push to make sure that students on campus are armed with educational materials about reporting, adjudication and interim support measures. We will continue working with the administration to ensure that the information provided by the survey will be used to improve University policies and campus safety.
Houston Summers
Student Body President
