Knox College recently received national and regional attention surrounding the reporting of sexual assaults on college campuses. The news coverage originated with a story in the Washington Post on June 7, which highlighted the number of rapes reported in 2014 on the main campuses of U.S. colleges and universities with 1,000 or more students. The story shows that Knox College is moving forward in addressing this historically under-reported crime.

The article used enrollment and campus crime data that every campus is mandated to provide to the U.S. Department of Education in its Annual Security Report. According to this data, Knox ranked fourth in the nation with 10 reports of rape per 1,000 students in 2014.

Regional newspapers, including The Register-Mail, Peoria Journal Star, and Monmouth Review Atlas, provided a regional perspective on this issue. In response to the regional stories, Knox College President Teresa Amott submitted an op-ed, published in Galesburg's The Register-Mail on June 16, which notes that it is a step forward when an historically underreported campus crime is more accurately reported and addressed.

"Over the past three years, Knox has revised our policies and procedures in response to the needs and powerful advocacy of our students, emerging guidance from the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and new findings on the effects of sexual trauma," President Amott wrote in the op-ed. "In response to these efforts, we've seen an increase in the number of reports of sexual assault, which is telling us our students know where to go to receive help and support. And they know if they report an assault, including via an anonymous online reporting system, Knox will take steps to support and protect survivors and hold accountable those who violate our policies."

Read the full op-ed.

To learn more about Knox College's efforts to combat sexual misconduct and to create a safe and supportive environment for its students, visit the Culture of Respect section of the College's website.