1. Study Links Campus Binge Drinking And Rape 2. Written Ruling In Georgia Campus Police Records Case Now Available 3. Campus Crime In The News
	Study Links Campus Binge Drinking And Rape Boston, Mass.-Rape is more common on college campuses with higher rates of binge drinking – and alcohol use is a central factor in most college rapes, finds a new study released this week. Overall, one in 20 (4.7 percent) women reported being raped in college since the beginning of the school year – a period of approximately 7 months – and nearly three-quarters of those rapes (72 percent) happened when the victims were so intoxicated they were unable to consent or refuse. These were among the findings of a study of 119 schools nationwide, by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study, Saint Joseph's University and the University of Arizona, published in the January 2004 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol. Most significantly, women from colleges with medium and high binge-drinking rates had more than a 1.5-fold increased chance of being raped while intoxicated than those from schools with low binge- drinking rates. Other significant risk factors for rape were being under 21 years old, white, residing in sorority houses, using illicit drugs and binge drinking in high school. "Binge drinking isn't a harmless rite of passage but a risk factor in violence against women," said George W. Dowdall, Ph.D., a co-author of the study and professor of sociology at Saint Joseph's University. "Institutions of higher education need to change the culture of college drinking in order to make colleges safer and healthier environments." The study analyzed data from 119 schools participating in three Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study surveys. The sample of randomly selected students includes 8,567 women in the 1997 survey, 8,425 in the 1999 survey and 6,988 in the 2001 survey. For Further Information- Correlates of Rape while Intoxicated in a National Sample of College Women (PDF document) Correlates of Rape while Intoxicated in a National Sample of College Women Abstract Press Release Written Ruling In Georgia Campus Police Records Case Now Available The Georgia Superior Court's landmark written ruling in Barrett & Farahany v. Mercer University ordering the private school to make their campus police records public is now available in the "Lawyers" section of the Security On Campus, Inc. web site. The court had issued an oral order last month, but did not issue a written opinion until this week. For Further Information- Barrett & Farahany v. Mercer University (written ruling) Georgia Judge Orders Private University to Release Police Records (SOC Update; v. 3, n. 18) Campus Crime In The News WVU should take verdict as sign its procedures may be lacking (The Dominion Post; 02/12/04) Study links drinking to most college student rapes (Gannett News Service; 02/11/04) Jury: W.Va. university retaliated against employees who claimed police falsified crime stats (SPLC; 02/11/04) WVU must pay total of $868,000 to campus cops (Charleston Gazette; 02/06/04) CU police saw trend in rape reports (The Denver Post; 01/31/04) Mercer must release crime reports (The Macon Telegraph; 01/27/04)
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