QTPOC Survivors of Sexual Violence in College: Methods at the Intersections

Abstract

The Association of American Universities (AAU) Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct surveyed over 180,000 undergraduate and graduate students and found significant rates of sexual violence on college campuses across the United States with even greater rates experienced by students who identify as women, trans, nonbinary, and queer. However, what the survey findings do not include is an intersectional analysis of the unique realities of historically marginalized students that make them more susceptible to sexual violence and create barriers to reporting and seeking support after this violence. Despite these important quantitative data and growing research on the topic of sexual violence in higher education, there continues to be a dearth of research on the experiences of historically marginalized survivors of sexual violence, specifically Students of Color, LGBTQ+ students, and Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC). This article begins with a review of prior literature related to QTPOC survivors of sexual violence in college. After reflecting on previous methods utilized in the literature on this population, this article explores some critical theoretical frameworks and methods by which to conduct research with QTPOC survivors of sexual violence in college—in service of improving higher education research, services, resources, and policies to better reflect and support these students.