Once upon a time, not that long ago, colleges did not allow male students to visit female students' dormitories and vice versa. Today, many colleges have an "open visitation" policy or even co-ed dorms. Many colleges with "open visitation" have no enforced policy for visitors of the opposite gender and rely on college students to abide by their rules.
This is upsetting to many parents and the students who desire comfort, peace and safety in their living spaces. While colleges are taking measures to prevent sexual assault on their campuses by placing blue safety stations and talking to their students about safety and prevention, they are giving the impression that there is danger in public places. However, the fact is that more than 70 percent of on-campus rapes occur in campus residence halls. Furthermore, in 9 out of 10 cases, the perpetrators are people the victims know. Colleges can live up to their duty to better educate and protect their students' safety by strictly enforcing visitation policies.
To read a WORLD News article about the dangers of open visitation on college campuses, click here.