Ninety-seven percent of young women have experienced some sort of sexual assault
( Valerie Muzondi / Rowdy Magazine Art Director )
[Trigger Warning: The following article contains information about sexual assault and harassment. If you or a loved one needs help with any incident of sexual assault or harassment, please call the national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673. More locally, University of Florida can access resources for victims of sexual assault here. ]
In March, a study commissioned by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women went viral : 97% of women aged 18 to 24 have experienced some sort of sexual harassment in a public space. More than 70% of women of all ages were found to have endured this behavior.
This study collected data from over 1000 women, but it’s resonated with thousands more across the internet. On TikTok, the hashtag “97percent” has 225.1 million views as thousands of people (mostly female presenting) have shared their experiences.
University of Florida students, along with other universities, are no exception. In summer 2020, the Twitter account @UFSurvivors went viral as students anonymously shared stories their stories of sexual assault and harassment on campus. In a statement, the group noted that it aims to, “expose the pervasiveness of rape and sexual assault at the University of Florida.”
The most recent study the University of Florida administration has conducted on sexual assault and misconduct was in Nov. 2019. Since then, the results have not been updated (most likely due to classes being largely remote during most of 2020). However, its findings still remain relevant today. Here’s a breakdown of what the study concluded:
( Valerie Muzondi / Rowdy Magazine Art Director )
Lauren Rousseau is the Online Editorial Director of Rowdy Magazine. When Lauren's not starring at a phone or laptop screen, she enjoys watching ridiculous reality television, stress-baking and listening to music. You can pitch her stories at rowdymagazine.submissions@gmail.com and find her on Instagram @laurenxrousseau