Student Victimization

If you are a college student, or know one, you need the information in this article!

Jamie Alexander

On April 8, 2004, in Morristown, New Jersey, Robert Brock, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University, was rushed to the hospital after receiving a gunshot wound to the abdomen, while attending a school dance. The shooting was prompted by a brawl that broke out while the dance was in progress. The assailant, another student, was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

This sort of criminal activity is not new on our college campuses. According to a report that came out from the U.S. Justice Department just last December, entitled Violent Victimization of College Students, each year on the average 526,000 crimes of violence are perpetrated on college students, representing 6.8% of the 7.7 million 18 - 24 year-old U. S. college student population. These crimes include rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. An average of 128,120 of these crimes, or 24.4% involved a weapon or serious injury to the victim.

These figures themselves may be low, however, as college students are notorious for not reporting criminal activity. Although the Justice Department has compensated for this to some degree in the above reported figures, it is doubtful they have compensated enough. One would not be in error to consider that the actual incidence of violent crime was sizably larger than what is reported above.

Who is at greater risk? Which college student demographics lend themselves to being a more likely target of this violent victimization? Male students are 96% more likely to become victims of violent crime than females. 9.1% of male students are victimized each year, compared with 4.7% of female students.

White students are more likely to become victims than other racial groups. 7.1% of all White students are victimized annually, compared with 6.6% of Black students, and 6.9% of Hispanics. Whites also lead in the percentage of rapes and sexual assaults, and simple assaults. Black students, however, lead in the number of aggravated assaults, which 1.9% of this group experience each year. Black students are also victimized in the number of robberies which is more than 100% higher than White students, and those of other races. Black students are also 39% more susceptible than White students to become victims of more serious violent crimes.

Male students are 250% more likely to be robbed than female students, and 400% more likely to be victimized with aggravated assault. Males are 81% more likely to become victims of simple assault than female students, and 121% more likely to become victims of serious violent crime.

Not surprisingly, female students are 350% more susceptible to sexual assault and rape than male students.

And the offenders of college students, what are their characteristics? Strangers committed 59% of all violent victimizations of college students.

Rape and sexual assault were the only violent crimes against college students that were primarily committed by someone the victim knew. 74% of these sex crimes were by a know offender, compared with only 4% for all violent crimes combined.

In 41% of the crimes committed, the offender was perceived by the victim as being noticeably under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

In 65% of the violent crime incidents, no weapon was presented. In 9% of incidents, a firearm was used by the offender. A knife was used 7% of the time by the offender.

In rapes and sexual assaults, a weapon was used 11% of the time by offenders, 3% of those offenses were with a knife.

In robberies, 58% of the time a weapon was used. 30% of these incidents were with a firearm, 21% with a knife.

With assaults, 25% of the time a weapon was used. 7% of incidents involved an assailant with a firearm, and 6% with a knife.

So listen up! If you are currently a college student, or looking at college next year, you would be very wise to put some self-defense skills under your belt. My recommendation? Front Sight Resorts. They provide the most comprehensive, hands-on and street-smart program available, without the boot camp attitude. In addition, they teach everything from martial arts, to edged weapons training, to firearms training — everything you will need to keep yourself

feeling safe and secure, and able to deal with anything that comes up in a competent, responsible manner.

Don’t become a victim of some perverted, degenerate criminal. Get yourself the training you will need to protect your life.

For more information on Front Sight Resorts call.

Jamie Alexander has written numerous stories on victimization.

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