The number of alleged sexual assaults reported since Sept. 1 is higher than the 10 reported assaults in 2003.
Eleven sexual assaults on campus have been reported by students so far this semester, MSU police said. Nine of the women said they knew their attacker; two said the attacker was a stranger.
The series of sexual assaults on MSU's campus has left some concerned about campus safety, although police and other officials attribute the spike in reported assaults to increases in those who come forward, not in the number of attacks.
The story behind the statistics
Although the number of reported sexual assaults so far this semester has surpassed that of last year's, reported sexual assaults were actually down about 30 percent overall between 1994 and 2003.
That might be because sexual assault crime rates are dependent on changes in the number of people choosing to report them, said Alfred Blumstein, professor of operations research at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz School of Public Policy and Management.
"The reporting rate can change, especially if there's been an effort to get people to deal with sex assaults," Blumstein said, adding increased media coverage can also have an impact.
One in three women are sexually assaulted, with assault defined as sexual contact without consent, said Mike Domitrz, a sexual assault activist and author who speaks to about 100 college campuses each year about the importance of reporting rape.
Domitrz said he sometimes notices an increase in sexual assault reporting after he's put on a program.
"Often if I go to a campus, people who may not have reported in the past understand it's not their fault and it's healthy to move forward and report," Domitrz said.
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said it's impossible to be sure until all investigations are complete, whether MSU's recent jump in reported sexual assaults is due to an increased percentage of assaults being reported or an actual increase in assaults.
Campus action
On Thursday night, residence halls across campus held meetings to discuss the assaults. Lee June, vice president for student affairs and services, director of Residence Life Paul Goldblatt and other officials called for the meetings.
"We thought it's time to talk with people about the myths and the realities," MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said. "There really is a commitment here to sharing information so the truth can get out."
Earlier this week, MSU officials announced meetings had begun to address the education, enforcement and prevention of sexual assault. Before, students received university e-mails after two stranger assaults.
"Some things are being discussed. We might be doing things to release more publicly in the next few days," June said.
But talking wasn't enough for Ernest Drake, president of the Residence Halls Association, who said the student representatives took action to promote safety at the group's meeting Wednesday night.
"The representatives at this point felt enough's enough," he said. The association voted to give $500 to the Capital Area Transportation Authority so people who need to get home at night without money for fare will be able to arrive safely.
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Drake said the association would have a list of formal suggestions and recommendations by the end of the week to send to the MSU Board of Trustees, along with President M. Peter McPherson and President-designate Lou Anna Simon.
Jayne Schuiteman, the personal safety coordinator for the Women's Resource Center, said sexual assaults aren't just a women's issue. The MSU community stepped up awareness of sexual assault, she said.
"Every last one of us is going to have to play a role in saying 'Not here, not OK,'" Schuiteman said. "It's not that the university has been lax in handling the issue, it's just raised everything to a new level of consciousness."
A semester of investigation
Only one of the 11 alleged assaults this semester has an arrest, although 80 percent were acquaintance assaults with suspects.
Sexual assault investigations, even those with a suspect, can take a long time to complete because of the number of interviews or the time it takes to process forensic evidence, said Ingham County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Joyce Draganchuk.
"They're typically not eyewitnesses - they can be witnesses to other events in the chain of events," Draganchuk said, explaining that if an accused student went to a party before the alleged incident, there could be dozens of interviews with party-goers to conduct.
"As prosecutors, we want a provable case," she said. "The police are doing an excellent job."
In 2003, seven of the 10 sexual assaults reported resulted in an arrest, according to the Michigan State University Police and Public Safety Annual Report.
Draganchuk said the majority of sexual assaults that make it to the county prosecutor are pursued.
A number of alleged assault cases are also being heard in the student judiciary system, which determines a student's status at the university.
Rick Shafer, associate director of Student Life and Judicial Affairs, said students who report assaults may receive information about the judiciary system from a Residence Life staff member, Olin Health Center or the police department.
"We want to empower folks to let them know what their options are and to pursue some sort of action," he said.
Reported sexual assaults at MSU, both misdemeanor and felonies, over the past six years.
This semester: 11
2003: 10
2002: 24
2001: 18
2000: 11
1999: 7
1998: 16
Source: MSU Police
