CINCINNATI (Sheila Gray) -- Too many college students in America become victims of sexual assault. The headlines are scary for parents who are helping their sons and daughters choose a university. Two Vanderbilt University football players were found guilty last month of aggravated rape and sexual battery. It was just the latest in a string of headlines involving sexual violence on college campuses. A recent study by the US Justice Department shows 80 percent of college sexual assaults go unreported to police. While universities are under increasing pressure to improve their reporting of sexual violence, some are also stepping up efforts to let students know their rights.What I hope to do with parents is to be a resource not only if something happens, but to be a resource way before that, said Kate Lawson. Kate Lawson is the Title IX coordinator at Xavier University. She's the person responsible for addressing issues of sex discrimination affecting students, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. It used to be a part-time position, but now more schools are making it a full-time job. Lawson says when students tour a college to check out the majors, meal plans, and dorms, they also need to ask questions about how it's addressing sexual violence.We know if you turn on the news, you're hearing about this issue, said Lawson. I would love for more parents to engage with me to ask 'what are you doing about this if it happens to my child or if they witness something or it happens to a friend?'Peers are going to go to one another when these issues arise, and they need to know what resources are available, said college student Colleen Reynolds.College students Colleen Reynolds and Rebecca Mock say it's also up to students to wipe out the epidemic with an atmosphere of zero tolerance. Rebecca's sister was sexually assaulted in college, and these young women say students have to protect each other.You find yourself in a situation where your friend has had too much or you see someone making a decision they're not comfortable with if alcohol hadn't been part of the picture, said Colleen Reynolds. Every time I see someone in need or a red flag, a potentially dangerous thing happen, I wish somebody had been there for my sister, said Rebecca Mock.In the Vanderbilt rape case, police said five other athletes saw the victim in distress and did nothing to intervene. Title IX Coordinator Kate Lawson is also an attorney who's represented sexual assault victims. She says parents and students need to talk about how they would respond before they're in the middle of something.Make sure their student, their child knows that colleges have responsibilities to address these issues said Lawson. If something happens to them, they can talk to them as a parent.Lawson says the era of universities trying to cover up sexual assaults on campus is in the past. What's next is creating an environment where it's the norm to say something.Experts say kids need to be taught at a young age to get involved when they see something wrong. The group Students Active for Ending Rape has online resources, including questions parents should ask during campus tours. We have a link here. Here is a link to Xaviers Title IX Coordinator.Follow Sheila Gray on Twitter @SheilaGrayTV, and LIKE her on Facebook.Follow us on Twitter @Local12 and LIKE us on Facebook for updates!
