The number of reported rapes increased at two of the state's largest universities, according to annual security reports published in advance of today's federal deadline.
But a sexual assault expert at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville said the increase at UA-Fayetteville has to do with students being more likely to report than in the past.
The Fayetteville campus, the state's largest by enrollment with more than 27,000 students this fall, counted seven reports of rape in 2015, up from three the previous year. In 2014, UA also had two additional rape reports that police said were unfounded.
The numbers "show more victims of sexual assault and relationship violence are feeling empowered to come forward and seek help," Mary Wyandt-Hiebert, director of a UA-Fayetteville office providing advocacy services for students who have been sexually assaulted, said in an email.
But she also wrote that national research has found that many assaults go unreported.
"Victims often do not report for many reasons such as fear of retaliation, concerns they won't be believed, or not fully understanding the incident as sexual assault or relationship violence," Wyandt-Hiebert said.
Arkansas Tech University at Russellville counted five reported rapes in 2015 compared with one the previous year. Arkansas Tech enrolled about 9,400 college students this fall, according to the state Department of Higher Education, making it the fifth-largest school in the state.
Rep. Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, said the totals suggest that sex assaults continue to be underreported in Arkansas.
"From what we know from national statistics, there are almost certainly more cases that are out there than what are reported," said Leding, co-chairman of a legislative subcommittee on higher education.
Campus crime statistics, compiled in what are known as Clery reports, cover a range of offenses.
Arkansas Tech recorded four aggravated assaults in 2015, down from 10 the previous year. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock reported three robberies, up from two a year earlier. UA-Fayetteville recorded 170 drug arrests, an increase from 127 such arrests in 2014.
Schools have until Oct. 1 to publish annual reports that include crime and fire statistics as well as additional information, such as options for students to report sexual assault or other relationship violence. Students may report not just to police, but also to other university staff.
If a rise is seen in reports of sexual assault, "what you may be seeing is really a rise in awareness, and not just awareness but also the increased attention that this issue has gotten," said Jennifer Reisch, legal director for the San Francisco-based Equal Rights Advocates.
Federal authorities have pushed schools to adopt procedures "making sure survivors of sexual assault actually have a place to go and know where they can go," Reisch said.
But she added that more is required of schools than simply presenting information. She cited a survey done by George Washington University that found four out of every five students did not know how to contact university staff whose job is to respond to reports of sexual violence.
Reisch also said the number of sexual assaults remains underreported.
Arkansas State University at Jonesboro, the state's second-largest school with about 13,460 college students this fall, recorded two forcible sex offenses and one nonforcible sex offense in 2015. The previous year, the campus recorded three forcible sex offenses.
For other Arkansas schools with more than 10,000 students: UALR recorded one rape in 2015, and the University of Central Arkansas recorded two sexual assaults.
The totals include mostly campus assaults, plus reports of offenses taking place at locations such as fraternity or sorority houses that may not be on campus but are used by student organizations.
Criminal offenses taking place on property operated by the school and used by students, even if it's apart from the main campus, are included, as well as any campus offenses on what's considered public property -- like streets or sidewalks -- within or immediately adjacent to campus.
Not included, however, are offenses involving students that take place at off-campus apartments or houses.
UA-Fayetteville has about 5,549 students living in university housing this fall, plus approximately 1,150 students living in fraternity or sorority houses. ASU-Jonesboro has about 3,200 students living on campus, a spokesman said.
At Arkansas Tech, 2,642 students live in university housing as of this fall, a spokesman said. UALR has about 1,300 students in campus housing, a spokesman said.
Leding said he's moving forward with a project to survey students anonymously this spring about sexual assaults. He's been working with Kristen Jozkowski, a UA-Fayetteville community health researcher, to develop the questions.
"It's something that we are going to make sure happens," Leding said. "Whether or not we can get the cooperation of campuses remains to be seen. We are determined to put the survey out there on our own."
Metro on 10/01/2016