One in seven female students in UK suffers serious assault

London, Mar 18 (ANI): A study has found that one in seven female students in the UK has been the victim of a serious sexual or physical assault, with many of the incidents often not reported to the police.

Up to half of those suffering sexual assaults say they felt ashamed or embarrassed, while more than four in 10 said they thought they would be blamed.

The Hidden Marks study, by the National Union of Students (NUS), reveals the scale of violence, harassment and stalking experienced by women students, and the concerns some have for their safety.

It is based on a poll of more than 2,000 current female students in the UK. The findings show that 14 percent have been the victim of either a serious sexual assault or serious physical violence, or both.

Separately, some 7 percent have been seriously sexually assaulted, while 11 percent have been subjected to a serious physical assault. One in four has faced a sexual assault of any kind.

The report claims that as national data suggests 23 percent of women experience a sexual assault, there is an indication of a "heightened risk of being affected by this whilst a student".

Of those that have faced sexual assault, 5 percent said they had been raped, while 2 percent were the victim of an attempted rape.

One in ten victims of serious sexual assault was given alcohol or drugs against their will.

Of the one in five, 21 percent, said they had been the victims of physical violence of any kind, almost one in ten, 9 percent, said they had been choked, dragged, strangled or burnt, while 3 percent had been threatened with a weapon.

More than a third, 38 percent, had been pushed, slapped, shoved or had their hair pulled.

But the poll reveals that only 4 percent of female students who have been seriously sexually assaulted report it to their university, and only one in 10, 10 percent, told the police.

Half said they felt ashamed or embarrassed, while 43 percent thought that if they went to the police they would be blamed for what happened.

"It is extremely disturbing that so many women students are assaulted and harassed while at university or college, and it is particularly worrying that the perpetrators in many of these cases are fellow students," the Mirror quoted NUS women's officer Olivia Bailey as saying. (ANI)