By Raychael Moseley / Managing Editor

More than half of Missouri Valley students who responded to a recent survey about sexual assault reporting said they did not know how to report an incident, highlighting a need for greater awareness of the resources and reporting procedures available on campus.

The anonymous survey, conducted by The Delta, aimed to better understand students’ knowledge of sexual assault reporting procedures and their experiences with campus safety.

Of the 19 students who answered whether they knew how to report a sexual assault at MVU, 58% said they did not know how to report an incident.

The survey followed a review of MVU’s 2026 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, which recorded zero reported incidents of rape, fondling, statutory rape or incest during the 2023, 2024 and 2025 calendar years.

The report is required under the federal Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to disclose statistics for certain crimes reported to campus security authorities or local law enforcement. The statistics cover incidents occurring on campus, on certain university-owned or controlled properties and on public property within or immediately adjacent to campus. Incidents occurring at other locations generally fall outside the reporting requirements.

The statistics reflect qualifying incidents reported to authorities, not necessarily every incident experienced by a student. An incident does not have to result in a formal complaint or criminal investigation to be counted.

While the university’s official statistics reflect the incidents reported under federal reporting guidelines, the survey sought to determine whether students understood how to come forward if they experienced or witnessed sexual assault.

Of the 21 students who participated, seven, or 33%, reported experiencing unwanted sexual touching, attempted sexual assault or sexual activity without consent since enrolling at MVU. Another student indicated they were unsure.

Of the students who reported an incident, four said the incident occurred at an off-campus location. All students identified the individuals involved as MVU students.

None of the students indicated they had formally reported their experiences to a university employee or official.

Because the Clery Act requires universities to report qualifying incidents brought to the attention of designated campus authorities or law enforcement, experiences that remain unknown to those authorities cannot be included in the annual statistics. However, the absence of a formal university complaint does not necessarily mean an incident went unreported for Clery Act purposes.

Students who did not report identified several reasons, including fear of retaliation, concerns about confidentiality, fear of not being believed and not wanting a formal investigation.

One respondent expressed uncertainty about who to contact.

“I didn’t know who to talk to,” the student said. “And I was scared for multiple reasons.”

The survey also asked students whether they believed reported sexual assaults were taken seriously at MVU. Of the 19 students who answered, 10 said yes, seven said no and two indicated that it was circumstantial.

Another respondent expressed concerns about attitudes toward sexual assault beyond the university.

“Sexual assault is something that seems normalized in college, and normalized within our society,” the student wrote.

Although the survey provides insight into the experiences and concerns of some MVU students, its findings do not represent the entire population. The electronic survey was distributed to members of MVU sororities and women’s athletic teams. Participation was voluntary, and the survey received 21 responses. The small, targeted sample was not intended to establish the prevalence of sexual assault across the university’s student population.

MVU Director of Public Safety Greg Lanham clarified the university’s reporting procedures and explained why students should report an incident.

“Reporting an assault would be either by calling Public Safety or going to Student Engagement and speaking with James Heinzler,” Lanham said.

He added that the school determines if authorities get involved.

“Then it will be determined if Marshall Police needs to be contacted. It’s important that it is reported so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Lanham said.

Students who are victims of a crime can also contact law enforcement directly without first reporting the incident to university officials. A student may report a sexual assault to the Marshall Police Department regardless of whether the university determines that police involvement is necessary.

According to MVU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, the university encourages students to promptly report criminal activity and provides several options to do so.

Associate Dean of Students and Student Engagement James Heinzler said the recently updated website might make reporting more accessible.

“It’s all the way towards the bottom, it says campus safety, and it’s that first tab that says ‘report a crime,’” Heinzler said.

Heinzler also emphasized the importance of reporting.

“It’s important to report because one, we don’t want that going on here on campus. And the quicker we can put an end or stop to that the better,” Heinzler said.

Reporting sexual assault allows university officials to address incidents and take steps to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.

“I don’t want anybody getting hurt on campus or anywhere else, but, you know, here on campus, it’s vital that we get that stuff reported and make sure that everybody’s staying safe,” he said.

Students may contact Public Safety, Student Engagement or other designated campus security authorities. The university also provides an anonymous reporting option for individuals who do not wish to be identified.

In addition to providing reporting resources, MVU requires students to complete online training through Vector Solutions to promote campus safety and awareness.

Among the assigned courses are Title IX Rights and Protections and RespectEdu for College, which are designed to educate students about their rights, respectful behavior and campus safety. The courses are mandatory and must be completed by Nov. 20.

MVU is also planning additional educational opportunities to help students better understand campus safety and reporting procedures.

“We’re going to have some education coming out for students as well,” Heinzler said.

Along with the additional education, the university plans to offer refresher courses during the spring semester to review information covered in the required Vector training.

“And then we’re gonna have, like, in a sense, refreshers of those courses in the spring as well,” Director of Residence Life Jo Elle Natividad said.

Natividad added that additional courses may be added depending on what students need to better understand, while also trying to avoid overwhelming students with too many assignments.

Students can report a sexual assault by calling MVU Public Safety at 660-815-5145 or visiting Student Engagement to speak with James Heinzler. Students may also report a crime directly to local law enforcement.