skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, December 5, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Supreme Court clears the way for Republican-friendly Texas voting maps; In Twin Cities, riverfront development rules get on the same page; Boston College Prison Education Program expands to women's facility; NYS bill requires timely state reimbursement to nonprofits; Share Oregon holiday spirit by donating blood.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump escalates rhetoric toward Somali Americans as his administration tightens immigration vetting, while Ohio blocks expanded child labor hours and seniors face a Sunday deadline to review Medicare coverage.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Native American tribes are left out of a new federal Rural Health Transformation Program, cold temperatures are burdening rural residents with higher energy prices and Missouri archivists says documenting queer history in rural communities is critical amid ongoing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights.

Report: Sexual Assault Even More Prevalent Off-Campus

play audio
Play

Friday, February 2, 2018   

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan State University and other colleges have been in the spotlight with high profile cases of sexual assault. A new report doesn't dispute the big problems on campus, but it makes the point that women who don't attend college are at even greater risk.

The six year study found that one in four women will experience "forced intercourse" by age 44. Researcher Bill Axinn, a University of Michigan professor, says there's no question it's deeply disturbing that the risk of sexual assault is as high as 20 percent per year for undergraduates.

"That's very, very high, and something we should all be concerned about,” says Axinn. “However, it's a shame if that distracts us from the fact that it's even higher among those human beings who don't get to go to college."

The risk is 2.5 times higher for non-college graduates, according to the study. Axinn says several factors likely contribute, including family income and socioeconomic status, as well as the fact that college campuses provide a certain level of adult supervision and education about sexual assault.

Axinn points to the "#MeToo" hashtag and recent revelations about rampant sexual assault in the entertainment industry, in politics and the general workplace as proof that the problem is far larger than on any individual school campus. But he notes that doesn't absolve any one school, sport, or workplace from responsibility.

"But at the same time, when we're confronting that responsibility, we can't imagine that that's the only problem,” he says. “We must address this as a societal-wide problem that takes every single one of us to engage in, 'This is not OK.' "

About 8 percent of men in the study reported having a forced sexual encounter, but those without a four-year college experience were four times more likely to have had such an incident. The study was published in the journal Social Science Research.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said he does not know what was discussed during a Thursday closed-door Statehouse meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Gov. Mike Braun. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

By Kyla Russell for WISH-TV.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service C…


Social Issues

play sound

Rural LGBTQ+ youth in Indiana face greater mental health challenges, but have found ways to build community online, according to a new report…

Social Issues

play sound

By Marilyn Odendahl for The Indiana Citizen.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the Indiana Citizen-Free Press India…


Indiana University's summit includes a session about a new Registered Apprenticeship Program aimed at boosting the teacher workforce. (Adobe stock)

play sound

An Indiana-based summit meeting will spotlight how university campuses can help power economic growth across the state. Indiana University hosts its …

Social Issues

play sound

Groups fighting for a free and fair judicial system are speaking out against violence, threats and insults targeting judges in Indiana and across the …

Experts recommend not overscheduling kids in the first few weeks of school because they are often more tired and emotionally drained as they adjust to a new routine. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Indiana families are preparing kids for back-to-school season, and mental-health experts say emotional readiness is just as important as school …

Environment

play sound

The Trump administration's long-term plan for artificial intelligence could have far-reaching environmental impacts across the country. His strategy …

Social Issues

play sound

A public funding mechanism for Seattle elections is up for renewal in next week's election. The Democracy Voucher program was passed 10 years ago…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021