Sexual Assault

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You are strongly encouraged to take appropriate action if sexual assault happens to you or someone you know.

Miami's Office of the Dean of Students serves as the primary source of support for students who experience sexual misconduct or assault. We encourage you to reach out to us so we can help you do the following: 1) provide connections to medical and mental health treatment, 2) help you report the offense to the police and inform you of how to pursue disciplinary action, 3) assist you with accessing academic support services, and 4) support you with emotional health and other needs.

You can contact the Office of the Dean of Students by phone at 513-529-1877 or by email at deanofstudents@miamioh.edu. For a full description of support services, see Sexual Assault Protocol.

For more information on Miami's commitment to sexual assault prevention, see the following resources:

Understanding Sexual Assault

Sexual assault can include forcible rape, forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, forcible fondling, incest, and statutory rape. Not all sexual assaults constitute rape, but all sexual assaults deserve to be taken seriously. In Ohio, major types of sexual assault include the following:

  • Sexual Imposition—unwanted touching of a person's erogenous zones for the purpose of sexual gratification. Think of erogenous zones as anything a bathing suit covers.
  • Gross Sexual Imposition—unwanted touching when force or threat of force is used or when the victim is unable to give consent.
  • Rape—oral, anal, or genital intercourse with an unwilling victim through force or threat of force or when the victim is unable to give consent. Rape includes attempted rape and rape with an object.

Sexual assault is not a crime of passion or act of lovemaking. It is an act of power, control, anger, and violence. Survivors of sexual assault are not responsible for their assaults; the perpetrator is.

Only about one in 10 rapes are reported to the police; some studies suggest that as many as one in four women will be raped in her lifetime. Men may also be victims of sexual assault; it is estimated that one in 10 men will be sexually assaulted in his lifetime.

Acquaintance and Date Rape

Acquaintance rape is a sexual assault crime committed by someone whom the victim knows. It is also called date rape if the crime happens on a date. Being forced into having sex - even if it's by someone you know - is still RAPE and it's a CRIME. Here are some facts:

  • Most sexual assaults are perpetrated by acquaintances of the survivors, not strangers. According to a national study, 77 percent of rape survivors knew their attacker.
  • Most acquaintance rapes happen to women ages 16 to 24.
  • Alcohol is a contributing factor to sexual assault. According to the same study, in 50 percent of all acquaintance rape cases on college campuses, both parties had been drinking; in 75 percent of cases, at least one party had been drinking.

See also Campus Sexual Assault Prevention Programs in Miami’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. The Aquaintance Rape Resource Guide has additional information. The Coordinator of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs (100 Health Services Center, 529-1870) can also be contacted for more information.