College survey finds surprisingly high number of sexual assaults reported on campus

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A startling percentage of female students across the nation report being sexually assaulted on campus - and at USC that number is even higher.

The Association of American Universities issued a new survey on sexual assaults on college campuses across the country. One in four female undergrads say they have been sexually assaulted.

At the University of Southern California, nearly 1 in 3 female undergraduates reported they had been sexually assaulted.

"It's a scary topic to think about in general," said USC student Shruthi Thatikunt. "You think about it happening across the nation too. You wonder what resources you have at your disposal to prevent these kinds of things."

The university held two town hall meetings to talk about the findings as students expressed concern about safety on campus.

At Caltech, the only other Southern California university to participate in the survey, 1 in 7 female students say they have been assaulted.

According to the survey most students who reported having been victimized do not report the crime.

Sexual assault survivors and students say it it time for universities to do more to change the culture and to keep students safe

"They need to know where the flaws lay in the system and how to prevent it," said USC student Katie Thanos.

USC is launching new initiatives aimed at prevention and helping those who have been victimized.