Stanford Sex Assaults Underestimated In Survey, Students Say
STANFORD (KCBS) -- Stanford students say a previous survey dramatically underestimates the extent of the sexual assault problem on campus, and are calling for a new one following the conviction of a prominent swim team member.
The survey last October found that sexual assault rate on campus was less than two percent, but it excluded some kinds of assaults serious to be criminal.
Student Senator Matthew Cohen wants the university to give another survey – the same one taken at Harvard and Yale.
"I believe that if you use the AAU survey, that you eliminate any chance for bias, and you get the pure truth," Cohen told KCBS.
But, there is fear of students getting 'survey fatigue' – fears that Stanford Freshman Ella Eastin says are unfounded.
"I don't mind taking another survey and being honest about my experiences, and I don't think other students should have a problem with it either if it's gonna make progress towards eliminating sexual assault on campuses," Eastin said.
The university issued KCBS a statement, saying that the first survey was comprehensive, and found that five percent of undergraduate women reported being sexually assaulted.
Students will vote on a referendum on the new survey this week.
