Factors Associated with Incidents of Sexual Assault among Undergraduate Women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Abstract

Despite high rates of sexual assault among undergraduate women and evidence that the prevalence of sexual assault varies by race, virtually nothing is known about sexual assault experiences of undergraduate women who attend a historically black college or university (HBCU). The present study addresses this gap in the literature by examining factors associated with experiencing sexual assault victimization among HBCU women. Findings suggest that the factors associated with sexual assault among HBCU women are similar to those found in prior research of women at predominantly white universities and that some risk factors are differentially associated with experiencing specific types of sexual assault.