Every college campus has rape stories, and true or false, students should be aware of the epidemic problem of sexual assault on college campuses and problems rape can lead to.

NIU is no exception. Last year a total of 29 sexual assaults were reported—with 16 occurring in fall 1989 and 13 occurring last spring, said Bev Beetham, Sexual Assault Task Force chairperson.

But Beetham said the problem usually does not lie in stranger rape where the victim does not know her assailant, but in date rape, where the victim does know her assailant.

She said 13 of the 16 assaults that occurred last fall were considered date rapes, as were nine of the 13 that happened last spring. These numbers represent only those rapes which were reported, Beetham said.

Women might not report rape or sexual assault for a number of reasons, said Judy Skorek, University Resources for Women president.

She said victims sometimes don’t report date or acquaintance rape because of a reluctance to turn in someone they know.

“The victim could be afraid the friend could be scorned from a group,” Skorek said.

Another reason Skorek noted for a woman’s hesitance in reporting a sexual assault is she might blame herself for what happened to her.

“If you’re blaming yourself, you’re taking responsibility for the action,” she said.

Skorek said victims of the crime should report it to at least one element of NIU’s Sexual Assault Task Force. In particular, victims of rape should report the incident to the University Health Center or Counseling and Student Development, she said.

“If you report it, it doesn’t mean you have to take it to court,” she explained.

However, if a victim decides to report the assault to NIU’s Judicial Office, or if a student commits a sexual assault, he or she might want to be aware of the possible outcomes of that action.

Jenine Povlsen, of NIU’s Judicial Office said the student judicial codebook uses the word “harassment” instead of the criminal term “sexual assault” to refer a wide variety of actions that are committed on the basis of gender and are sexual in nature.

The most serious form of harassment would result in expulsion from the university, Povlsen said.

“If it (the harassment) involves an actual rape, it would probably be the most severe form (of harassment),” and result in expulsion, she said.

Expulsion from the university could last from two to four years and any student who wishes to return to the university must petition NIU for re-admittance, Povlsen said.