Last year there was a major increase in rapes reported to the university police. In 2005 there were only two possible rapes reported, but in 2006 the number jumped to 13.
At first glance, it might seem like the problem is an increase in rapes on campus. A closer look shows this isn't the case, however.
Michele Cole, Ball State University's victims' advocate, was hired in March 2006. The university attributes the rise in rape reports to the fact that Cole is available to help victims deal with the consequences of being raped.
Rape is one of the most under- or incorrectly reported crimes in the nation, according to the United States Department of Justice Criminal Victimization in the United States statistics for 2005.
Nationwide, around one in four victims of rape didn't report the crime because they didn't think the police would help at all or because they thought the police simply didn't care, the study said.
In light of the victims' advocate that was hired, it's obvious that Ball State cares about students and their well-being. Obviously, the creation of this position increased the number of reported rapes, which means more victims are receiving the help they need.
People who have been raped suffer from Rape Trauma Syndrome, which lasts at least a few weeks after the rape and can continue to cause problems far into the future, according to rapevictimadvocates.com.
In the unfortunate circumstance where a Ball State student is raped, they have an advocate that can help the victim get through the trauma and angst that come as a result.
The advocate can also serve as a go-between with the police, which would ease some of the difficulty victims might feel.
As for prevention, Ball State also sponsors a yearly rape awareness week to educate people about what constitutes rape and how to prevent it. The week typically includes speakers and experts from the counsling and health centers on campus.
Ball State's rape awareness weeks try to prevent rape in the first place, but sometimes things still happen. Now, the university is also providing a safety net for victims of rape. As long as the university continues to employ a victims' advocate, future victims of rape will have an invaluable resource available to help deal with the aftereffects.
The victims' advocate is another support service who can help the victims with possible post-rape complications.
With these two measures and the everyday reminders, like the blue emergency telephones sprinkled around campus, it's obvious that Ball State realizes the importance of keeping students safe on campus.
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