Essential Guide to Sexual Assault and Rape: Campus and College Student Victimization, Not Alone: White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault, Alcohol on Campus

Eleven reports and documents from the federal government provide an overview of the problem of sexual assault, violence, and rape, particularly against college students, including the April 2014 report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault:

Not Alone: The First Report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault (April 2014) * Rape and Sexual Assault: A Renewed Call to Action - The White House Council on Women and Girls (January 2014) * The Sexual Victimization of College Women * Sexual Assault on Campus: What Colleges and Universities Are Doing About It * Sexual Assault FAQ * Checklist for Campus Sexual Misconduct Policies * Preventing Sexual Violence on College Campuses: Lessons from Research and Practice * Key Components of Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention/Victim Service Resources * Climate Surveys: Useful Tools to Help Colleges and Universities in Their Efforts to Reduce and Prevent Sexual Assault * Establishing Prevention Programming: Strategic Planning for Campuses * Reducing Alcohol Problems on Campus: A Guide to Planning and Evaluation.

One in five women is sexually assaulted in college. Most often, it's by someone she knows -and also most often, she does not report what happened. Many survivors are left feeling isolated, ashamed or to blame. Although it happens less often, men, too, are victims of these crimes.

Sexual assault survivors respond in different ways. Some are ready to make a formal complaint right away, and want their school to move swiftly to hold the perpetrator accountable.

Others, however, aren't so sure. Sexual assault can leave victims feeling powerless - and they need support from the beginning to regain a sense of control. Some, at least at first, don't want their assailant (or the assailant's friends, classmates, teammates or club members) to know they've reported what happened. But they do want someone on campus to talk to - and many want to talk in confidence, so they can sort through their options at their own pace. If victims don't have a confidential place to go, or think a school will launch a full-scale investigation against their wishes, many will stay silent.

In recent years, some schools have directed nearly all their employees (including those who typically offer confidential services, like rape crisis and women's centers) to report all the details of an incident to school officials - which can mean that a survivor quickly loses control over what happens next. That practice, however well-intentioned, leaves survivors with fewer places to turn.

Schools should identify trained, confidential victim advocates who can provide emergency and ongoing support. This is a key "best practice." The person a victim talks to first is often the most important. This person should understand the dynamics of sexual assault and the unique toll it can take on self-blaming or traumatized victims. The advocate should also be able to help get a victim needed resources and accommodations, explain how the school's grievance and disciplinary system works, and help navigate the process. As many advocates have learned over the years, after survivors receive initial, confidential support, they often decide to proceed with a formal complaint or cooperate in an investigation.