if you think all the animals down under are cuddly and sweet, you'ding wrong. but first, the "nightline 5." >> number one in just 60 good even. thanks for joining us. tonight sharing powerful stories from women who say rape is rampant on college campuses. stepping out of the shadows to say it happened to them and that schools are failing to protect their students. now a controversial new film is helping their movement grow. by taking these institutions to task. here's abc's amy row bah. >> it's my pleasure to announce the 2013 heisman memorial trophy winner. jameis winston, florida state university. >> reporter: jameis winston is one of football's rising stars. going to be a first-round pick in the 2015 nfl draft. but the former fsu student who accused winston of raping her one night in december 2012 is speaking out. >> i kind of just want to know -- like, why me? >> reporter: erika kinsman sharing her story in the new film "the hunting ground." using firsthand accounts of more than a dozen college students -- >> there's a lot of victim blaming. >> he lectured us about how we shouldn't go out in short skirts. >> reporter: the filmmakers are seeking to expose what they say is a shocking epidemic of violence and institutional cover-ups. >> universities are protecting a brand. >> reporter: sweeping college campuses across america. >> doesn't really make sense. >> reporter: in the film kinsman says right after the alleged rape she reported the incident to tallahassee police department. and an investigation was opened. however, winston was never charged. the state attorney calling her testimony "problematic." >> we did not feel that we had sufficient evidence to go forward to bring the case to trial, to prove that it was not consensual. >> reporter: winston has maintained his innocence and was eventually cleared by fsu. but kinsman became a target of criticism for accusations against their campus hero. >> that girl that was jealous, wanted to be a part of the team you know. >> not only did people not believe her but she received all kinds of very aggressive comments on social media. >> reporter: eventually, kinsman dropped out. florida state university tells us they did everything they could to support her. now two years later, kinsman says she was inspired to come forward in part by annie clark. >> the first few weeks i made some of my best friends. but two of us were sexually assaulted before classes even started. >> reporter: and andrea pinot, whose stories are the backbone of the film. >> he grabbed my head by the side of my ear and slammed it against the bathroom tiles. and it didn't stop. i couldn't move. when you're scared, when you don't know what's happening to you, you just stay there. you hope that you don't die. >> right now college campuses across the united states in your opinion, are not safe? >> absolutely not. >> no. no college campus is safe. >> reporter: both were students at the university of north carolina when they say they were raped. >> who's the first person you told? >> it's hard to say who i told for the first time because it was, well, maybe you just had a drink, maybe it was a bad hookup. that's what i was met with. annie was the first person. >> reporter: annie says she faced more questions than support which she reported to the university. >> i was a strong feminist. kind of knew that it wasn't my fault, but at the same time to have this person in authority telling me that it was, it really made me second-guess myself. >> why didn't you go to police? >> i was scared. and i was young. you hear horror stories. i know there are a lot of wonderful police officers out there, but to sit through and explain to a total stranger you know, the absolutely worst thing that happened to your body -- i don't want my friends to know i didn't want my parents to know. >> reporter: according to the bureau of justice statistics only 20% of sexual assaults on college females are reported to police. the film alleges that universities are part of the problem. >> they discourage them from going to the police. if it goes to the police, then it's more likely to end up as a public record. >> it's hard because there is such a stigma attached. it's the only crime where we blame the victim. >> and there's a notion out there that there's a high level of false reporting when it comes to rape. >> the false reporting rape on sexual assault is 2% to 8% according to the fbi, which is the same rate if not lower than any other crime. >> when you think about what survivors have to go through to report, it absolutely makes no sense why anyone would report something that didn't happen. >> reporter: andrea and annie say their frustration over unc's response motivated them to take action. filing a title ix complaint with the department of education. >> it just came up in my political science courses about sexual harassment laws anita hill reading about how title ix was initially about gender equity. >> reporter: their central argument, unc's handling of sexual assault allegations violated their civil right to education. helping to spur a national movement. >> my name is carolyn. >> my name is alexa schwartz. >> my name is ari. >> we started seeing what was happening across the country. >> no one connected the dots before. >> reporter: each dot on this map represents an allegation they received of sexual assault on a college campus. >> to see these young girls experiencing exactly what i had and feeling almost helpless. and just trying to let them know that it's not their fault. >> breaks your heart every time. >> i think what gets me up in the morning is thinking how much this issue has grown in its national agenda. >> reporter: currently there are 94 universities under title ix investigation for misman sexual assault claims. >> if students went from sexual assault victims to survivors and now activists -- >> we're at least talking about it a little bit more. but you do have on the other side a lot to do. >> reporter: they want to fundamentally shift the way people address the topic of campus rape one of their biggest issues the way victims' memories are questioned. >> i remember what i was wearing. i remember how my body felt. i don't remember what time it was. you know? if somebody would have asked me that, and i wouldn't have known, would my story not have happened? >> reporter: a story echoed by hundreds of women they have met through their activism. >> this is a national problem. >> people were so unlikely to believe us. oh, you're making it up. >> they want their school to be safe as a safe campus. if it's on campus, between two students, they're much less likely to do something about it. >> in your time at unc, how many students came to you and said they'd been assaulted? >> it's hard to put a number on it. at least 100. >> reporter: in the film, a former unc administrator said she believes the university did not do enough. >> from what i remember no one was expelled during that time. >> so these guyed could just get away with it? >> absolutely. absolutely. and people could commit it repeatedly. >> reporter: in a statement to abc news unc said they've implemented a comprehensively revised policy on sexual assault and mandatory prevention training. adding this documentary heightens awareness, shows how the strong activism of students including two of our former students, have changed federal law. but the film is sparking controversy. earlier this week fsu president john thrasher issued a statement saying that the film neglected to include the university went to extraordinary lengths to support ms. kinsman, including initiating an independent investigation by a former florida state supreme court justice. >> what is the fundamental impact you hope this film has? >> i hope it radically changes the way our culture and our country views this the issue and views these crimes. >> is there one thing you want young women who are about to go into college to know? >> they have a right to safe education. that if they feel in danger they have a right to speak up. e a right. that's something i didn't know. >> reporter: a i'm amy robach in los angeles. >> "the hunting ground" is playing now in select movie theaters. constitute key to relieving chronic pain lie in a body part you've never even heard of? one woman's remarkable pill-free healing process. later on "nightline," our adventure into the australian wild. equal parts snugly and scary. and clearer skin. this is my body of proof that i can fight psoriatic arthritis from the inside out... with humira. humira works by targeting and helping to block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to both joint and skin symptoms. it's proven to help relieve pain, stop further joint damage and clear skin in many adults. doctors have been prescribing humira for nearly 10 years. >>humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers including lymphoma have happened, as have blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. >>visit humira.com and talk to your rheumatologist. humira. this is a body of proof! i'm louis, and i quit smoking with chantix. quitting smoking is a challenge and it's a lot easier to go into a fight when you've got somebody that's got your back. having chantix as a partner made it more successful. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix helped reduce my urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some people had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix or history of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. chantix absolutely helped me quit smoking. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. we're a nation used to popping a pill to treat pain. 80% of all painkillers taken in the world are taken in the u.s. the woman you're about to meet says she can alleviate chronic pain in a healthier pill-freeway by manipulating a body part with a strange name you've probably never even heard of. isful thinking or truly a potential cure-all? >> let it go. arms up. >> reporter: for marisa marlis movement is life. >> you got it ten more! >> reporter: a dancer and fitness model she stars in fitness videos like "the brazil butt lift." like millions of americans, she lives with chronic pain. >> today my knee is about a level 5. i can feel if i do anything a little too deeply. >> reporter: already in her 30s she's had seven surgeries for injuries. >> the pain was terrible before surgery. shooting pains down my leg, i couldn't sleep. >> reporter: for years she tried different therapies with little relief. >> it's frustrating that i can't break through that this pain issue, to be that active and proactive again. >> reporter: marisa is far from alone. it's estimated over 100 million americans suffer from chronic pain costing almost $600 billion a year in health care expenses, lost wages, and lost productivity. and that figure doesn't include the psychological toll it takes on people who are suffering. >> it affects everything. i mean, everything. you know i just got married. and it's awesome. i love being married. but there's certain things that i'm like it's 6:00 i shouldn't be exhausted. >> so this is gliding -- >> reporter: marisa doesn't want to become reliant on painkillers so she's trying something new. the meld method. it's touted as a tantalizingly new potential pill-free pain relief which works on a part of the body that most of us have never even heard of a connective tissue called fascia. >> connective tissue is flexible scaffolding under your skin. it's where collagen is produced in the body. it plays major roles in everything from keeping your skin lifted to giving joints shock absorption to giving muscles balanced. >> reporter: armed with funny balls and a foam roller sue hitzmann says it works by stimulating the connective tissue in the body. pressure bodies in the fascia. loosening it up and reducing inflammation which she and her clients say can reduce aches, pains, and stiffness. >> one of the key techniques of melt is to teach people how to juice back up the tissue how to stimulate it in organized ways from day to day. >> you take the ball and push it over your fingers. that's a rinsing technique. >> reporter: after just one class and a one-on-one session with sue marisa says she's already beginning to feel a difference. >> it's subtle but powerful. working smarter, not harder. >> reporter: melissa isn't suffering garden-variety pain. her spine has been fused together by four metal pins. >> heartbreaking to not be able to move. not just dance but be active for three to four years. >> reporter: then painful hip surgery less than a year and a half ago. >> i hat this zero gravity chair that lived in our living room. >> reporter: marisa cobbled together a treatment program incorporating everything from physical therapy -- >> nine, ten relax. >> reporter: to weekly trips to a chiropractor which involves spine adjustment traction. yet it's the melt method she thinks is making the most dramatic difference in her chronic pain levels. >> felt like there was this warm sheath. my hip was moving. it felt like a normal joint again. my knee was in significantly less pain. and i woke up the next day and wasn't nearly in as much pain. >> reporter: is it a placebo effectively effect? >> the melt method is a simple technique -- >> reporter: is the melt method unlocking secrets to pain relief through fascia? >> it forms a network in the body connects everything with everything else. it might play a role in the interface between body systems. >> reporter: leading scientists have discovered that people do feel more pain in their fascia than they do in their muscles. >> fascia actually has a lot of nerve endings in it. if the fascia is inflamed it can feel painful. >> reporter: while manipulating the fascia whether through massage or stretching like during yoga, or acupuncture, they could be reducing their perception of pain. >> you put an acupuncture needle into connective tissue far shark it winds like a needle every time you move the needle the fascia moves with it. >> turn your head to the right. >> reporter: research into fascia is relatively new and it's difficult to scientifically measure pain levels. but plenty of people say they feel an immediate difference. >> i feel something that i didn't know existed an hour ago. >> reporter: marisa has been diligently melting for more than a month. even on her honeymoon. >> i was able to climb up a cliff, which i never thought i'd be able to do again. >> reporter: she says sue's method has managed to melt away years of chronic pain. >> things i haven't been able to do in so long. it's empowering to feel i can make money again, have a normal life. hope. i feel hopeful i'm going to be able to have the career that i want again. up next koala sex and killer cuke ka bur ras. you're not going to want to miss our adventure to australia. we all know australia is famously home to super-cuddly creatures. did you know that many of the world's most dangerous animals live there too? abc's john donvan finds out what else is lurking down under. >> reporter: the series has this to say about australia's wildlife. it is not all kangaroos and koalas and ding goes. all right, there are a lot of koalas in it making this weird male koala mating sound. and with the information that only one out of three koalas actually get to consummate, any given year. kangaroos, who knew there is a special tree-climbing kangaroo variety. the lumholz. whose front legs are the long ones and has the rare kangaroo ability to walk backwards. australia has a lot of poisonous snakes. the ten most lethal on the planet. this one the eastern brown snake, can stop a human heart with one bite into the skin. otherwise, australia is an amazingly gentle environment for awkwardly put together and relatively defenseless creatures like the platypus. which was once considered a hoax animal with a bill like a duck and a tail like a beaver and poison-tipped feet. weird. but wonderful. also wonderful, this bird. the liar bird. it can imitate any sound. really, any sound. budgies. they like to hang together. they work so hard all day that they drink water equal to more than 5% of their own body weight daily. the laughing kookaburra. some size diversity now. this thing, the pigmy glider, is about the length of a piece of gum. but look at this bat. the flying fox bat. those are three-foot swings that can move these animals along at 30 miles an hour. now some sit around all day guys. the central bearded dragon whose color changes over the hours of the day to keep his body temperature steady. and the thorny devil. the tongue does most of the work. watch the feet. 1,000 amps sants swallowed in a single session. yes, there are dingos. the largest land predators making themselves at home in the wilderness that is not just kangaroos and koalas. john donvan, abc news, washington. >> "destination wild" sunday nights on nat geo wild. thanks for watching. check out the "nightline" facebook page for some of your favorite highlights this week. from women giving birth in the woods to amazing six-second tricks. tune into "good morning america" for more, and good night. have a great weekend. here. what? what is it? it's braciole, you know, stuffed beef. really? braciole? who made it? i did. just try it. you're not having any? no. i had some yoyou know, with the kids. i had some with the kids. oh... how you feelin'? it's not poison, ray. if wanted to kill you, i wouldn't do it that way. all right, that goes in the file. hey! good? yeah! yeah...good. even better the second time, now that my tongue's not scared. mmm...man, this is great. yeah? you really like it? it's good. i really do. let me at it. oh! i'm so happy! oh, look you're sitting down! ooh! i did it, huh? i really did it. ally: mommy! yeah, honey! i'll be up in just a second! ok, i'm gonna get ally out of the bath. there's a lot more onhe stove here. not for long. ha ha ha! mmm...mmm...mmm! heh heh!