Nearly half of Exeter girls have been sexually assaulted

An eighth said they have been raped


41 per cent of girls in Exeter who responded to The Tab’s Sexual Assault survey said they had been a victim of sexual assault.

Almost every girl who responded to the survey said she had been touched inappropriately on a night out.

224 people responded to the survey from Exeter, some of whom left anonymous comments like: “Groping a girl’s ass in a club is sexual assault.

“Do you think anyone ever reports that? Most bouncers laugh at you. Girls are expected to accept that treatment.”

 

15 per cent of the girls surveyed said they have been a victim of rape.

Only 69 per cent have told anyone about what happened to them.

One anonymous respondent said: “In first year I invited some non-uni friends to halls. I knew the guy, more of a friend of a friend, but i didnt report it because I didn’t want to speak about it.”

Exeter is above the national average for sexual assault of 40 per cent, at 41 per cent.

Sexual assaults would appear to be more common at university, 59 per cent of victims said they were university students, and only 29 per cent freshers.

76 per cent of rape victims said they knew their attacker, and 56 per cent of those assaulted also said they knew their attacker.

Megan Davies, an English and French lIterature second year, said: “I think initially when you read it the figures are unbelievable but when you actually think that sexual assault covers so many things, it’s hardly shocking.

“What shocked me the most was that only 69 per cent told someone else. Exeter is such a friendly and seemingly safe university that to read those figures is actually quite scary.”