A-nother Perspective: An Analysis of Asexual College Students’ Experiences with Sexual Violence

Abstract

This study examined asexual college students’ experiences with sexual violence. Using international quantitative data from the Asexual Community Survey, we conducted descriptive analysis regarding 10 types of sexual violence and predictive analysis of three categories of sexual violence. The predictive analysis included an examination of the moderating effect of race with students’ other demographic identities. Nearly 1 in 4 students experienced coercive rape, over half experienced unwanted sexual contact, and 70% experienced non-contact unwanted sexual experiences. Relationships emerged between demographic identities and particular types of sexual violence. For several categories of violence, the odds of experiencing that type of violence differed based upon students’ identities. We also found that race significantly increased the odds of students experiencing certain types of violence when analyzed through an intersectional approach. The study challenges existing narratives of campus-based sexual violence while presenting applications for practitioners and multiple directions for future research.