Researchers at Washington State University published an analysis in the Journal of American College Health finding that, from 2015 to 2022, women enrolled in college experienced a 74% higher risk of sexual violence than women not in college. The lead author, Amelie Pedneault of WSU’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, said the reversal from earlier decades was unexpected and merits further investigation. The study used National Crime Victimization Survey data to estimate victimization rates and found that roughly one in 100 women living on campus reported sexual violence in each six‑month window during the study period. The authors did not identify a single cause for the shift but highlighted changes in reporting practices, campus housing patterns, and student demographics as possible factors. Campus safety officials, Title IX coordinators and student‑affairs leaders are likely to face renewed pressure to review prevention programs, reporting channels, and survivor services. The findings will influence policy debates on campus safety funding, residential life staffing, and external oversight of institutional responses to sexual misconduct.