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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Newly released surveys from all four schools in the University of Missouri System show the prevalence of sexual assault and misconduct on its campuses.

“The numbers we saw today are really reflective of the national information that we see,” said Kelsey Saragnese, MOCSA’s prevention coordinator. “Typically, nationally, one in five college women report experiencing some kind of sexual assault during their time on campus.”

According to the 2019 Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct, 26% of undergraduate women surveyed who attend the University of Missouri-Columbia said they’ve been sexually assaulted.

You can view the full report here.

“We have been working very hard to increase awareness of resources as well as educate students on how to prevent sexual assault and misconduct,” said Andy Hayes, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Civil Rights and Title IX. “

While I’m very concerned about the number of women who indicated on the survey that they have experienced sexual assault and misconduct, I’m encouraged that we’ve seen some significant improvements in many areas over the past four years.”

The number of women who said they were sexually assaulted decreased slightly from MU’s 2015 survey results.

“The safety of our campus community is our No. 1 priority, and I am grateful for the hard work of our committed faculty, staff and students who continue to make this an exceptional place to learn, live and work,” MU Chancellor Alexander N. Cartwright said.

“These results tell me we still have work to do. With some encouraging results, I am confident our demonstrated efforts over the past four years have been effective. However, a single instance of sexual assault or misconduct is one too many. This important work must continue.”

UMKC also released survey results in its Office of Affirmative Action Annual report. There were nine rapes reported in 2018, according to data from Campus Police.

“This survey provides us with a valuable tool to inform and drive our efforts to live by our fundamental commitment: to provide a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for all members of our community,” UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal said.

“We cannot be satisfied with our efforts as long as any member of our community suffers the negative effects of sexual misconduct. We must be vigilant and look for ways to always do better.”

If you’ve been sexually assaulted, call MOSCA’s crisis line at 816-531-0233 or 913-642-0233.