National Campus Safety Awareness Month 2025: The Importance of Education and Prevention

September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month, approved by Congress in 2008 to encourage a public conversation about important topics in violence prevention at colleges and universities. It’s an opportunity for higher education leaders to highlight tools and resources to support campus safety. It is also a good time to emphasize the importance of educating students on how to avoid risks, support their peers, and foster a safer community.

Vector Solutions provides hundreds of high-impact online courses for students, administrators, faculty, and staff, addressing important campus safety topics such as sexual violence, hazing, substance misuse, mental health, and more. It also published a series of Campus Prevention Network National Insights Reports, delving into course survey data to share insights about these critical issues. Below, we share some information and resources to help support prevention efforts for some of the most significant challenges to campus safety.

Sexual and Relationship Violence

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college. These incidents can have a lasting impact on students’ physical and mental well-being and academics. Vector Solutions’ survey data found that there remains a stigma around sexual assault, and many students don’t report it due to fear of being blamed or because they believe nothing will be done.

What colleges and universities can do:

• Encourage initiatives that build a supportive culture and educate students about sexual assault awareness and prevention to help reduce the stigma and make it more likely that students will report incidents.
• Make sure students understand what resources are available to them and help them have confidence in the institutional systems, processes, and support for victims.

Hazing

While often associated with Greek Life and athletics, hazing can also surface in other student organizations such as honor societies, performing arts groups, and even academic clubs. According to a study by Stop Hazing, three out of five students are subjected to hazing on campus, and 95% of students who are hazed don’t report it to campus officials. Currently, 44 states have anti-hazing laws. In addition, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, introduced in Congress, would require colleges and universities to educate students about the dangers of hazing and hold organizations that engage in this harmful behavior accountable.

What colleges and universities can do:

• Provide hazing awareness and prevention training for students, faculty, and staff.
• Encourage programming to help build a culture in which hazing is not tolerated.
• Offer a safe, anonymous way to report hazing incidents on campus. A known deterrent to reporting hazing is the fear of retaliation.
• Meet regularly with student groups on campus to clarify campus policy around hazing. This could include hosting a campus forum for students, faculty, and staff to have an honest and open discussion about hazing in student groups.

Substance Misuse

College students are more likely to use non-prescription stimulants, such as amphetamines, than opioids or sedatives. An estimated 4.8% of students reported using a non-prescription stimulant in the past 12 months, compared to 2.6% of their peers not enrolled in college. Many students cited the belief that stimulants would help them perform better academically, underscoring the importance of ongoing education and prevention efforts.

What colleges and universities can do:

• Emphasize education about substance misuse and make sure resources are available and accessible.
• Share data that corrects students’ misperceptions of peer alcohol use, reinforcing that most peers abstain, making refusal feel more normal and likely.
• Think beyond a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to providing services around alcohol and substance misuse to effectively support students who may need more targeted outreach.

Mental Health and Well-Being

College students are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety, with mental health challenges consistently ranked among the top barriers to academic and personal success. Many students don’t get the help they need due to personal or institutional barriers such as time constraints, cost, or lack of knowledge about where to go for help.

What colleges can do:

• Provide education and outreach to help students understand how to recognize if they or a classmate needs help, what to do when they are experiencing mental distress, and when to seek professional support.
• Support these more vulnerable students by implementing policies and programs that create a welcoming environment for all students.
• Assist students in overcoming barriers to receiving support.

How Vector Can Help

Vector Solutions partners with colleges and universities to deliver evidence-based courses, actionable insights, and practical resources that strengthen prevention programs and create safe, supportive environments for all students. Institutions can also take advantage of these free, downloadable resources with valuable information:

Resources on Sexual Violence Prevention:

Vector Course Library: Sexual Assault Prevention Training for College Students

Vector Blog: Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Vector Course: RespectEdu

Vector Guide: Developing Sexual Assault Prevention Programs on a College Campus

Vector Webinar: “Supporting Survivors of Campus Sexual Violence: Involving Campus and Community Partners”

Upcoming Vector Webinar: “Beyond the Red Zone: Eight Lessons for Comprehensive Campus Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention”

Resources on Hazing Prevention:

Vector Courses: Hazing Prevention Programs

Vector Blog: “Stop Campus Hazing Act Supports a Culture of Student Safety”

Vector Guide: Best Practices for Building a Coalition to Support Hazing Prevention

Vector Guide: The Stop Campus Hazing Act: What Institutions Need To Do

Vector Webinar: “Get off the Island! Engaging Stakeholders in Hazing Prevention”

Resources on Substance Misuse Prevention:

Vector Course Library: Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention

Vector Course: AlcoholEdu for College

Vector Blog: “A View into the State of Alcohol Use and Misuse on Campus”

Vector Guide: Campus Prevention Network National Insights Report on Alcohol Use and Misuse

Vector Webinar: “Substance Abuse Prevention Strategies to Address the ‘Crisis of Connection’”

Resources on Mental Health and Well-Being:

Vector Course: Mental Health and Well-Being for Students

Vector Guide: Campus Prevention Network National Insights Report on the State of Mental Well-Being in Higher Education

Vector Blog: “Mental Health Awareness Month: Best Practices for Campus Leaders”

Vector Guide: Promoting Student Mental Health and Well-Being by Jeffrey Selingo

Vector Webinar: “The Role of Student Well-Being in Driving Academic and Career Success”