On November 17th, 2023, singer Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against music mogul P.Diddy, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking, and physical abuse. The suit was filed in accordance with the New York Adult Survivors Act, which allows sexual abuse victims to file lawsuits after the statue of limitations has expired.
Both parties eventually reached an agreement the following day and the lawsuit was dismissed.
Although the case was settled, it compelled more victims to come forward against other high-profile celebrities and politicians such as Jamie Foxx and New York Mayor Eric Adams, alleging similar instances of abuse. But more importantly, the incident also reignited conversations around victim advocacy and awareness.
It is unfortunate that nearly every individual will fall victim to some form of crime or abuse in their lifetime. Acknowledgement around this reality can sometimes be obsolete. And for African Americans specifically, such victim awareness can be hard to come by at any rate.
The recent discourse on adult victim survivors raises inquiry over prevalent concerns in the HBCU community.
These incidents may include, but are not limited to:
- Sexual Violence
- Domestic Abuse
- Mental Illnesses
- Physical Attacks
- Alcohol & Drug Abuse
College aged victims are most at risk for such incidents and find themselves at the center of a silent, but deadly victim survivor epidemic.
Statistics About Victims on HBCU Campuses
- College-aged victims (18-24) are most at-risk for sexual violence and domestic abuse.
- Black women at HBCUs are most likely to experience physically forced sexual assault.
- College-aged Black men are least likely to utilize mental health services due to mistrust or fear of being stigmatized.
- 36% of physically forced and 69% of incapacitated sexual assault victims regretted reporting to law enforcement.
- Only 5% of victims report being drugged without their consent. (This does not account for unreported cases).
- Most common response from 46% of survivors for why they chose not to file a report with law enforcement is “it was not serious enough to report.”
- Assailants almost never receive disciplinary consequences from schools and law enforcement.
These statistics provide a snapshot into the growing concern of our at-risk HBCU population. In order to improve the overall safety of the HBCU community, we have to openly address the many ways our students are disproportionately impacted in America.
Be on the lookout for more information on victim awareness from HBCU Buzz in 2024.
