Rape culture and the problem with the 1 in 5 sexual assault statistic

Article here. Excerpt:

'Last semester, Spectator reported on data suggesting that one in every five women on campus has experienced “sexual assault” since enrolling at Columbia. This statistic was derived from results of a survey conducted by the Association of American Universities, and was propagated alongside calls for additional support services for victims of rape.

In the wake of the Emma Sulkowicz mattress protest, this statistic seems to corroborate popular sentiments that Columbia is indeed a bastion of rape. But is it really?

A closer analysis of the AAU survey reveals several opportunities for misinterpretation of its data. For one thing, the survey uses a ridiculously wide definition of sexual assault that includes everything from penetration to unwanted groping. It also paternalistically decides whether women have been victims or not and treats the complicated situation of mutual intoxication in a way that is favorable to women.'