Reported forcible sex offenses on Tennessee college campuses increased by a daunting 74.5% in 2014, according to the annual crime report released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations today.
The report counts 89 cases of rape, sodomy, sexual assault and forcible fondling across campuses in 2014, up from 51 in 2013. In particular, reports of rape increased by 76.9%.
As the problem of sexual assault on college campuses is receiving unprecedented public visibility, this increase may be due in part to an increased willingness for victims to come forward.
Overall, however, campus crime is down by 6.3% from 2013, with a total of 6,329 reported crimes. This is not as impressive a drop as the 2012-2013 period, which saw an 11.2% decrease, but it continues a downward trend in criminal activity since 2011.
Of these crimes, 31.7% were categorized as Larceny or Theft, with “Theft From a Building” being the most frequently reported crime.
Burglary, Robbery, Assault, Drunkenness, ATM and Credit Card Fraud and Driving Under the Influence offenses were among those that decreased.
Fraud, offenses classified as “False Pretenses/Swindle/Con,” Aggravated Assault, Drug and Narcotics and Drug Equipment Violations increased.
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