According to the White House Council on Women and Girls, only 13 percent of students who are sexually assaulted report the crime to authorities. The Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, another White House organization, also reported that one in five women is sexually assaulted while at college.

After fall break, Ithaca College will launch the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response & Education campaign and website. Terri Stewart, director of Public Safety, said the campaign’s objective is to raise awareness about sexual assault and violence and get victims and bystanders to come forward about attacks. The fruition of SHARE is vital, especially in light of the Sept. 21 assault that was initially reported to have occurred on the trail behind Carp Wood Field between the Circle Apartments and Terraces, which was later deemed unfounded.

Along with educating students about sexual assault and encouraging them to come forward with any information, the college should consider preventative measures to ensure students’ safety on campus. A shuttle service from the main campus to the Circle Apartments may lower the risk of sexual assaults taking place on the same trail as the Sept. 21 incident.

Students should have access to as many resources as possible on campus to feel safe, especially when heinous crimes such as sexual assaults can occur on campus.