Press release announcing the UO Coalition to End Sexual Violence, and their advocacy for more transparent policies regarding campus sexual violence and stricter sanctions for students who commit these crimes

1. Press Release
UO Coalition To End Sexual Violence (UO-CESV) Begins Independent Advocacy at the University
of Oregon
Concerned faculty, staff and graduate students at the University of Oregon have formed an
independent coalition against sexual violence on our campus. The coalition launched their work
with a change.org petition against a teespring.com t-shirt that trivialized sexual violence. They
will continue their work by advocating for clear and transparent campus procedures for
investigating sexual assault and harassment and the imposition of strict sanctions for these
crimes.
Press contact: Dr. Carol Stabile
Email: uocoalition@gmail.com
Website: http://uocoalition.wordpress.com
11 February 2014
EUGENE, OR – Concerned students, staff, and faculty members at the University of Oregon have
formed a coalition to help UO address problems of sexual violence on our campus and to support
UO in its efforts to comply with Title IX, the Clery Act, and other institutional protections for
students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Like other campuses around the country, UO suffers from problems in reporting sexual violence.
In the 2012 and 2013 Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report, UO reported the following:
2009 – 14 forcible sexual offenses
2010 – 15 forcible sexual offenses
2011 – 16 forcible sexual offenses
2012 – 39 forcible sexual offenses.
These reports reflect a national problem of under reporting at large research universities, which
include Harvard, Yale, and the University of North Carolina. The Obama Administration and
Centers for Disease and Prevention data predict 800-900 reports of sexual offenses per year at an
institution of UO’s size, a figure that reflects how “college students are particularly vulnerable [to
sexual assault: 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted while in college” (Rape and Sexual
Assault: a Renewed Call to Action, January 2104). The CDC estimates are consistent with peerreviewed research conducted by UO faculty, which shows occurrences of forcible sexual offenses
against women much closer to the CDC statistic than the numbers currently reported. Outside
research further suggests that the low reported numbers at UO reflect a climate that may be
preventing survivors from reporting these crimes (http://youtu.be/6qqlp3dt3U8).
With an award-winning criminologist serving as president, and faculty like Dr. Jennifer Freyd, Dr.
Jocelyn Hollander, and Dr. Krista Chronister who have established research specializations in
betrayal trauma, sexual assault prevention, and domestic violence prevention, the University of
Oregon is uniquely positioned to be a leader in addressing the national problem of sexual violence
on campuses. The UO Coalition to End Sexual Violence will aid in the process by advocating for
clear campus procedures in investigating sexual assault and harassment, establishing strict
sanctions imposed for committing these crimes, and promoting and collating research that helps
the University of Oregon establish best practices in confronting sexual violence on campus.
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