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With the start of the new fall semester, students are gearing up for football season, homecoming celebrations and a new round of academic coursework. Yet the first weeks of the fall term are also a time for caution.

The so-called is the period when college students’ risk of being sexually assaulted is highest. According to a – one of the most recent studies of its size – first-year women are at the highest risk.

In a survey of nine U.S. colleges, over half of occurred between orientation and Halloween. Data collected by the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance in 2021 and 2024 show that took place in September or October.

Statewide data on self-reported campus sexual assault isn’t collected, but cases associated with several major universities in Colorado in 2026 highlight the issue. In March 2026, Boulder police of underage women at a popular University Hill bar. The women were allegedly drugged, and the bar and closed permanently.

In July 2026, parents of an Air Force Academy graduate who died by suicide alleging the university failed to protect their daughter from sexual assault.

As a researcher who – and a college professor who works with students every day – I’m well aware that estimates of student sexual assault often understate the problem. Students because they don’t know where to turn, have concerns about confidentiality, or are unable to navigate the institution’s resources by themselves. This parallels of sexual assault and abuse in general.

But the number of cases that are reported is already cause for concern.

Why data is so limited

While campus sexual assault is a well-known issue, data on the current state of the problem is limited. Under the Clery Act, , but these include sexual assaults only if they are formally reported. If report their assault through formal channels, this dramatically undercounts students’ experiences of campus sexual assault.

As of 2022, federal law requires universities to using a . However, the department that Congress has charged it with creating.

The best data we do have comes from private groups. The Association of American Universities ran campus climate surveys in and . WeStat ran a of 10 largely private, largely East Coast universities. But infrequent surveys from private companies are subject to their own discretion and timing, making them less reliable than regular data collected by public agencies.

Risk factors during the red zone

. Students from marginalized groups, including gender or sexual minorities, are at .

Risks are also higher for students .

. These students are particularly vulnerable because they are in a new environment, have fewer friends to watch their back and are often exploring new freedoms, including access to alcohol and other drugs. In addition, many students where they are separated from their support networks.

Counter to the popular perception that perpetrators are unknown assailants, most sexual assaults are perpetrated by , and over 21% are committed by an intimate partner.

Alcohol and other drug use creates an especially high risk for sexual assault. While young adults ages 18-25 are , a quarter of surveyed full-time college students reported . Campus climate surveys show that a had prior to the assault.

To be clear, these studies are not blaming anyone who has been victimized for drinking. Rather, the research points out how alcohol and other drugs can increase a person’s vulnerability.

Why this matters

College sexual assault substantially affects students’ well-being.

Students who are sexually assaulted are at higher risk . of college sexual assault .

Sexual assault also negatively affects education outcomes. Students who are assaulted are more likely to have – or drop out of college altogether.

Schools receiving federal funding have a to allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment. This 1972 federal law , including on college campuses.

But for students who are victimized during the red zone, accessing care on campus may be particularly challenging. New students, such as freshmen and transfer students, may be .

Evidence on interventions

Schools have tried a number of strategies to address the red zone and keep students safe.

and can reduce victimization, improve students’ self-defense measures, reduce binge drinking and improve . Bystander intervention training when they see unsafe behavior.

These programs help – such as reducing binge drinking – and combat pervasive “rape myths,” or the belief that victims of sexual assault were “asking for it.” Positive effects can continue .

Truly tackling the issue of college sexual assault requires developing new ways to stop individuals who may go on to assault others.

But the focus remains on teaching potential victims how to defend themselves and look out for their peers. Researchers know much, much less about interventions that can prevent people from perpetrating sexual assaults.

In part, this research gap exists because it is difficult to get accurate data on . Research has shown that survey and interview respondents may , meaning that people who commit assault are unlikely to admit that on a survey. Certain research methods, such as using written or web-based surveys rather than face-to-face interviews, can elicit more truthful responses.

In Colorado and at colleges across the country, now is the time to keep an eye out for the most vulnerable students. Faculty, staff, students and community members alike can all help build a campus climate where sexual assault is unacceptable, where victims are believed, and where student safety matters.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, help is available. operates a 24/7 helpline at 800-656-HOPE.

, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, ;

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