Quarter of US female undergrads sexually assaulted, survey finds

One in four female undergraduate students at leading research universities across the United States have been subjected to nonconsensual sexual contact, according to the findings of a national survey that shine a spotlight on the prevalence of sexual violence on campuses.

The survey was published on Tuesday by the Association of American Universities, or AAU, and Westat, a research firm based in Rockville, Maryland. Questionnaires were sent to 181,752 students from 33 colleges and universities.

Overall, 13 percent of the respondents reported being victims of nonconsensual sexual contact, but the numbers varied significantly by gender and affiliation.