In the Fall of 2015, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Garnett Stokes established the University of Missouri’s Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Task Force. The Task Force was charged with reviewing the results of the 2015 Association of American Universities (AAU) Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct (hereafter referred to as the AAU survey) and making recommendations for enhanced interventions, services and prevention efforts. In addition to Provost Stokes, Vice Chancellor for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Kevin McDonald and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs were the Executive Sponsors of the Task Force.
Sexual and intimate partner violence crosses all age and socioeconomic groups, but women are particularly at risk, and young women (age 18-24) are in the highest risk age group for experiencing such violence. This violence has significant consequences and well-documented negative outcomes, increasing risk for adverse physical, mental, and behavioral health outcomes and academic failure—representing a serious threat to the well-being and success of college students who experience violence.