University of Iowa police took fewer sex offense reports last year, report shows

After a week of uproar on the University of Iowa campus related to sexual violence and the administration's response, new crime statistics released Tuesday show sex offense reports to UI police dropped by half from 2012 to 2013.

UI police took four sex offense reports last year, compared with eight in 2012, and none of the 2013 reports involved allegations of forcible rape, compared with four in 2012, according to the numbers released through the Iowa Board of Regents in advance of its meeting next week.

Meanwhile, sex offense police reports increased at Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa from 2012 to 2013. Iowa State police responded to 13 reports last year, compared with nine in 2012, and 11 of the 2013 reports involved forcible rape, compared with eight in 2012.

UNI saw its minimal sex offense reports increase from one to two – both of the 2013 reports involved forcible rape, according to the statistics.

Those numbers don't include sex offenses that weren't reported to police – even if they were reported to university officials or victim advocates, like the Rape Victim Advocacy Program in Iowa City. Officials say sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes, meaning incident rates likely are much higher than crime statistics indicate.

For example, crisis calls involving rape to the local victim advocacy program increased from 236 in 2012 to 306 last year, according to RVAP statistics. Total sexual violence-related calls involving UI students, faculty or staff increased jumped from 69 in 2009 to 117 last year.

“And sometimes we will receive a report, but they don't want us to actively investigate,” Chuck Green, Director of UI's Department of Public Safety, said. “So just because they are reported to us doesn't mean we do an investigation.”

Of the combined 19 sex offense reports at the three regent universities in 2013, just one resulted in an arrest – UI police arrested a suspect on forcible sodomy, according to the statistics.

The low arrest numbers, in part, exemplify the hesitancy some victims have with pursuing criminal charges related to sexual offenses, Green said.

“We want to find the perpetrator and get them off the street and bring them to justice as soon as possible,” Green said. “But on this particular crime, we understand the sensitivity that has to be brought to bear, and that's why we give them choices and options. Because it's so traumatic.”

Like its sex offense reports, the UI's total offenses decreased year over year – dropping from 3,345 in 2012 to 2,838 in 2013, according to the new statistics. Alcohol charges, specifically, dropped from 1,330 to 814, according to UI police.

Total offenses at Iowa State decreased slightly from 2,372 to 2,214, and they increased at UNI from 402 to 650.

Green said ebbs and flows in crime statistics can relate to a handful of variables – including weather, staffing and special events – and it's difficult to identify a cause for the 2013 dip at the University of Iowa. One possible explanation might be improved behavior before, during and after home Hawkeye football games, Green said.

For example, total UI police offenses in the third quarter of the year – during football season – dropped from 1,051 in 2012 to 752 in 2013, representing the biggest quarterly decrease.

“Our fans have been cooperating with the ‘think before you drink' campaign,” he said.

When analyzing the decreases, especially related to sexual assault, Green said his department isn't necessarily encouraged or discouraged. He said the goal is to make victims feel safe and supported.

“We want increased reporting, and we want victims to feel comfortable enough to come to police and have us investigate,” he said. “It's one of the most underreported crimes because it's hard to bring to police.”

The UI's sexual misconduct policies and response came under fire last week after UI President Sally Mason told the student newspaper that ending sexual assault on campus is “probably not a realistic goal, just given human nature.” UI officials have issued eight warning emails about sexual violence on or near campus this academic year, an increase over previous years, and students have demanded change in how the UI addresses the issue.

Student protestors asked Mason to apologize for her comments, and they asked the university to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy, meaning expulsion of students involved in sexual assault. They also asked the UI to clean up the language in its warning emails, halt “victim blaming” and dedicate more resources to education.

Mason on Thursday held a “listening post” on the topic, during which she shared about being sexually assaulted as an undergraduate student at the University of Kentucky and vowed to improve the UI's response and resources.

On Friday, the Iowa Board of Regents called a special meeting with Mason to let her explain her comments on the issue, and regents scolded her for failing to communicate effectively with them on the topic – although no disciplinary action was taken against her.

Mason, during the Friday meeting, laid out a six-point plan to combat sexual violence on campus. The plan includes:

• Efforts to crack down on offenders – and expel students in severe cases;
• Increased support for survivors;
• Upgraded prevention and education;
• Improved communication;
• Increased funding; and
• Doing better at listening and reporting back on progress.