Safety Improvements Increasing Awareness
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 5, 2007) – The number of women on the University of
Kentucky campus who feel "very safe" has doubled in the last three
years.
That's one of the more significant results of a groundbreaking study among 2,000 women on the UK campus being released today. Results of the "Women's Safety Study: 2004-2007," which was conducted by UK's Center for Research on Violence Against Women, indicate that 31.7 percent of women on the UK campus say they feel "very safe," compared to 16.4 percent of women who felt that way in 2004.
"We have made significant progress over the last three years in making the University of Kentucky a safer place by expanding educational efforts, expending more resources on public safety and communicating to everyone that safety is a priority," said UK President Lee T. Todd Jr., who co-sponsored the study. "That's what Top 20 universities do. They investigate challenges and they find and implement solutions. A cornerstone of our effort to become Top 20 is ensuring for our students and their families that we are committed to creating a safe community.
"However, we have more work to do," Todd added. "Safety is an ongoing process that will never be completed. This study shows where we've made progress. But it also shows what is left to do and, in that way, it reinforces our commitment to safety."
The 2004 study, also co-sponsored by Todd and conducted by UK's Center for Research on Violence Against Women, surveyed 1,010 female graduate and undergraduate students, measuring the prevalence of victimization among female students, their fear of crime, university response and related items.
From that study, Todd announced a comprehensive, eight-point safety initiative that, among other things, expanded counseling and prevention programs through the program called UK Women's Place (now named the Violence Intervention and Prevention Center); increased police resources through additional officers and a new training program; created a self-defense program and formed the President's Women's Safety Advisory Council to evaluate the implementation of new programs and to make further recommendations.
Todd also committed to a follow-up, expanded study in spring 2007 to measure the university's progress.
In all, more than $1.2 million was allocated in the year following release of the initial study to expand the eight-point initiative as well as other specific safety initiatives, including additional lighting and a new safety path – the CATS path – across campus.
Carol Jordan, director of the UK Center for Research on Violence Against Women, which conducted both studies, said "every college and university campus in America is challenged by the victimization of women students. The number of women who personally know the experience of rape, stalking and physical assault makes these safety and educational problems of immense proportion.
"What is important is that, rather than relying on national research or general approaches," Jordan said, "UK has taken the time and spent the considerable resources necessary to study the issues here in-depth and then committed to doing something about them through programs and solutions specific to this campus and community."
Key results of the 2007 study, according to Jordan, include:
That's one of the more significant results of a groundbreaking study among 2,000 women on the UK campus being released today. Results of the "Women's Safety Study: 2004-2007," which was conducted by UK's Center for Research on Violence Against Women, indicate that 31.7 percent of women on the UK campus say they feel "very safe," compared to 16.4 percent of women who felt that way in 2004.
"We have made significant progress over the last three years in making the University of Kentucky a safer place by expanding educational efforts, expending more resources on public safety and communicating to everyone that safety is a priority," said UK President Lee T. Todd Jr., who co-sponsored the study. "That's what Top 20 universities do. They investigate challenges and they find and implement solutions. A cornerstone of our effort to become Top 20 is ensuring for our students and their families that we are committed to creating a safe community.
"However, we have more work to do," Todd added. "Safety is an ongoing process that will never be completed. This study shows where we've made progress. But it also shows what is left to do and, in that way, it reinforces our commitment to safety."
The 2004 study, also co-sponsored by Todd and conducted by UK's Center for Research on Violence Against Women, surveyed 1,010 female graduate and undergraduate students, measuring the prevalence of victimization among female students, their fear of crime, university response and related items.
From that study, Todd announced a comprehensive, eight-point safety initiative that, among other things, expanded counseling and prevention programs through the program called UK Women's Place (now named the Violence Intervention and Prevention Center); increased police resources through additional officers and a new training program; created a self-defense program and formed the President's Women's Safety Advisory Council to evaluate the implementation of new programs and to make further recommendations.
Todd also committed to a follow-up, expanded study in spring 2007 to measure the university's progress.
In all, more than $1.2 million was allocated in the year following release of the initial study to expand the eight-point initiative as well as other specific safety initiatives, including additional lighting and a new safety path – the CATS path – across campus.
Carol Jordan, director of the UK Center for Research on Violence Against Women, which conducted both studies, said "every college and university campus in America is challenged by the victimization of women students. The number of women who personally know the experience of rape, stalking and physical assault makes these safety and educational problems of immense proportion.
"What is important is that, rather than relying on national research or general approaches," Jordan said, "UK has taken the time and spent the considerable resources necessary to study the issues here in-depth and then committed to doing something about them through programs and solutions specific to this campus and community."
Key results of the 2007 study, according to Jordan, include:
- 34.1 percent of women reported being victimized in some form, slightly down from 36.5 percent in the 2004 study. While that result alone is not yet statistically significant, Jordan said it does indicate a positive trend, given that within that reduction is a slight decrease in the number of women who experienced every type of victimization measured, including sexual assault, stalking or physical assault.
- 77 percent of women report avoiding some places on campus out of fear, down from 81.3 percent in 2004. In particular, Jordan said that women report feeling more afraid of areas and neighborhoods around campus, pointing to the importance of continued and increased collaboration between "town and gown" on safety issues.
- More women – 9.1 percent in 2007 compared to 2.5 percent in 2004 – are reporting forcible rape to the police and more reports are being made by friends, family members and health or mental health professionals. Jordan said that indicates the importance of education and increased awareness.
- In fact, 94.3 percent of female students were aware of at least one safety service on campus and more than one-third – 35.4 percent – have used one in the past. Similarly, 91.3 percent of female students were aware of at least one victim service on campus, such as counseling services, medical treatment or police.
Listen to Carol Jordan's comments.