Campus Sexual Assault Research Articles

Sexual Assault in the Ivory Tower: Public Opinion on University Accountability and Mandatory Reporting.

Highly publicized college sex crimes have recently captured public and policy attention. In response, greater discussion has turned to institutional accountability and controversial reforms such as mandatory reporting (MR). No study to date has measured public perceptions of campus sex assault procedures, however. This omission is notable because public opinion can directly and indirectly shape crime policy and because the topic has become increasingly politicized. Drawing on a 2015 poll of Virginia residents, this study evaluates views about campus sexual assault policy. Results indicate that two thirds of the public feel universities can effectively respond to sex crime and a large majority favors MR. Some differences in public opinion are evident. Research and policy implications are discussed.

Legislative Watch: State legislative bills

Texas bill strengthens campus sexual assault laws Arkansas passes campus carry bill

The Impact of Increased State Regulation of Campus Sexual Assault Practices: Perspectives of Campus Personnel

ABSTRACTSeeking to improve university accountability and compliance with federal mandates, states are considering new reforms including mandating reporting of campus sexual assault allegations. These new policies remain an empirical “black box.” To address these gaps, the current exploratory study draws upon a recent survey that examines the extent of awareness, perceptions, concerns, and policy practices of victim advocates and other personnel concerning new legislation. Virginia is chosen as the state for this case study given its recent implementation of a controversial mandated reporting law, as well as other initiatives, across institutions of higher education. Findings suggest that campus personnel are aware and largely supportive of the new reforms, but they also share concerns. Implications for research and policy development are discussed.

Enhancing Title IX Due Process Standards in Campus Sexual Assault Adjudication: Considering the Roles of Distributive, Procedural, and Restorative Justice

ABSTRACTTitle IX prohibits sex discrimination—including sexual assault—in higher education. The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights’ 2011 “Dear Colleague Letter” outlines recommendations for campus sexual assault adjudication allowing a variety of procedures that fail to protect accused students’ due process rights and victims’ rights under Title IX. This article reviews two diminished due process rights in campus adjudication: cross-examination and the preponderance of the evidence standard. We use an organizational justice theoretical framework to show that limitations on due process rights reduce fair outcomes for both victims and the accused. We provide recommendations for a restorative justice approach to campus adjudication that operates within this theoretical framework to increase fair outcomes in adjudication, bolster perceptions of adjudicatory system legitimacy, and reduce campus sexual assault.

Sexual violence in the college population: a systematic review of disclosure and campus resources and services.

To synthesise research examining college student sexual violence disclosure and campus sexual violence resources and services. Recently, the issue of sexual violence within the college population has garnered attention worldwide. The prevalence of sexual violence within college students is alarmingly high. Survivors often experience negative outcomes (e.g. health-related consequences, impact on education). Efforts have been made to address this significant public health concern. Systematic review of published literature. Studies were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, CINAHL and PsycInfo of articles published between January 2010-February 2015. A total of 672 articles were identified. After screening, 16 articles were included in this review. A lack of consistency in how sexual violence was referred to and measured was identified. Research on college student sexual violence disclosure has primarily been conducted in six areas: (1) informal disclosure, (2) formal disclosure, (3) friends' perceptions of disclosure, (4) process/effects of disclosure on the survivor, (5) barriers to disclosure and (6) social support in the disclosure process. Research related to campus sexual violence resources and services has primarily focused on: (1) students' knowledge, (2) students' utilization and (3) students' suggestions. Synthesised findings are presented. Sexual violence impacts college student survivors and the campus community as a whole. To appropriately assist/address sexual violence, a thorough understanding of college student sexual violence disclosure and campus sexual violence resources/services is necessary. Suggestions for researchers, colleges and nurses are provided. Nurses who serve students, especially those at on-campus student health centres, are opportunely placed to address sexual violence. Findings highlight the need for nurses to use consistent definitions of sexual violence when identifying survivors. Nurses should take measures to increase disclosure and promote sexual violence resources/services provided by their facility. Additional suggestions for nurses are provided.

Secondary and 2-Year Outcomes of a Sexual Assault Resistance Program for University Women.

We report the secondary outcomes and longevity of efficacy from a randomized controlled trial that evaluated a novel sexual assault resistance program designed for first-year women university students. Participants (N = 893) were randomly assigned to receive the Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) program or a selection of brochures (control). Perception of personal risk, self-defense self-efficacy, and rape myth acceptance was assessed at baseline; 1-week postintervention; and 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month postrandomization. Risk detection was assessed at 1 week, 6 months, and 12 months. Sexual assault experience and knowledge of effective resistance strategies were assessed at all follow-ups. The EAAA program produced significant increases in women’s perception of personal risk, self-defense self-efficacy, and knowledge of effective (forceful verbal and physical) resistance strategies; the program also produced decreases in general rape myth acceptance and woman blaming over the entire 24-month follow-up period. Risk detection was significantly improved for the intervention group at post-test. The program significantly reduced the risk of completed and attempted rape, attempted coercion, and nonconsensual sexual contact over the entire follow-up period, yielding reductions between 30% and 64% at 2 years. The EAAA program produces long-lasting changes in secondary outcomes and in the incidence of sexual assault experienced by women students. Universities can reduce the harm and the negative health consequences that young women experience as a result of campus sexual assault by implementing this program. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ’s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/page/pwq/suppl/index.

We believe you. Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out

We believe you. Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out

Feminist Research with Student Activists: Enhancing Campus Sexual Assault Research

Addressing sexual assault on university and college campuses in the United States is a national priority. To date, research on campus sexual assault overwhelmingly focuses on students as objects of study: as survivors, perpetrators, and bystanders of sexual assault. This focus has largely overlooked students who act as agents of change, mobilizing to alter campus norms around consent, prevention, survivor support, and institutional response. In this article, we encourage feminist scholars to incorporate students as advocates against sexual assault and to invite students to be collaborators in research. We discuss a student‐led organization and our ongoing collaborative study with the organization to illustrate how feminist researchers can feature student engagement with campus sexual assault at the grass roots. We conclude with recommendations to expand the national research agenda on campus sexual assault.

Intersectionality and Perceptions About Sexual Assault Education and Reporting on College Campuses

A mixed‐methods design with an intersectional feminist framework was used with 1,899 students at a large Southern university to critically examine (a) how students view the issue of sexual assault on their own campus, (b) how they perceive the status of reporting sexual assault to campus officials, and (c) how they are responding overall to a campus‐wide sexual assault education program. Some privileged groups, especially heterosexual men, were less informed than others about sexual assault and less supportive of campus sexual assault education. In contrast, some marginalized groups, including lesbian, gay, and bisexual students, perceived campus sexual assault to be a more serious issue than did other groups, but they were also most critical of heteronormative biases in most campus programing. Non‐White students were most supportive of sexual assault education. Empirically driven implications for campus sexual assault programs are provided.

Many Mornings After: Campus Sexual Assault and Feminist Politics

AbstractIn 1994, the feminist journalist Katie Roiphe published a book titled The Morning After in which she argues that the women's movement had become obsessed with victimization. With many of her case examples centered on campus sexual politics, Roiphe laments college women's demands for the very forms of patriarchal protections that second‐wave feminists fought to overturn. In the two decades since the publication of this book, campus activists have gained considerable ground in bringing sexual assault into public awareness, insisting (contra Roiphe) that victims have been all too silent. This article presents an appraisal of this historical legacy and draws out key lessons to be learned from the history of feminist organizing around sexual assault on campuses. The author explains how radical, liberal, and socialist feminist politics offer different lenses for framing sexual assault and discusses the value of a psychoanalytic feminist optics for thinking through dilemmas at the level of political practice.

Lights, Camera, Activism: Using a Film Series to Generate Feminist Dialogue About Campus Sexual Violence

AbstractWe examine the use of an interdisciplinary film series, “2015 Sexism | Cinema: 50 Years on the Silver Screen,” as a space for discussion where attendees can discover allies, express critical thought, and advance their thinking. A film series is a useful response to the widespread problem of campus sexual assault in three critical ways: (a) a theater provides an informal, recreational space for discussion of feminist thought; (b) the content of the films highlights the insidious nature of sexual violence and gender inequality in our culture; and (c) there exists a degree of separation that subverts defensiveness while inspiring a critical dialogue. We discuss the utility of a film series as an accessible approach to the cultural antecedents of sexual violence on college campuses. We offer our own experiences of the film series and recommend film as a feminist pedagogical tool to address sexual violence.

The Abuse Litmus Test: A Classroom Tool to Assess Power and Control in On‐Screen Relationships

Despite university efforts and recent evidence‐based interventions to reduce campus sexual assault, few systematic approaches have addressed how media depictions of sex and romance that inundate young adults via popular culture help to develop and sustain attitudes and behaviors that tolerate sexual abuse and intimate partner violence as normative. We introduce a feminist‐informed pedagogical tool—drawing from the Duluth Power and Control Wheel and the Women's Experience with Battering Framework—to facilitate college students' decoding of relationship power, control, and harm in popular film, including dynamics relevant to sexual assault. We include step‐by‐step instructions for implementing the tool in classroom settings, including estimated duration, script, sample films, discussion questions, and debriefing procedures (including linking to campus assault dynamics).

A Feminist Analysis of Campus Sexual Assault Policies: Results from a National Sample

Institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States are obligated to address sexual assault on campus under the Clery Act and Title IX, and a recent surge in societal interest in sexual assault among college students has prompted many IHEs to bolster their response. Little systematic information exists about IHEs' sexual assault policies and services and whether they align with feminist‐based models of advocacy. This study examined annual security reports and student handbooks and codes of conduct for a nationally representative sample of 4‐year IHEs (N = 387) and assessed IHEs' responses to sexual assault on college campuses through the lens of a feminist‐based organizational model. Findings indicate that policies for the sampled IHEs include a mean of 12 of 17 policy components' aligned with feminist models, and 4% of sampled IHEs include all 17 components. Implications for improving IHEs' responses to sexual assault in ways consistent with feminist models are discussed.

Sisterhood and Sexual Assault: Engaging Sorority Members in Dialogue, Critical Analysis, and Feminist Praxis

Taking a feminist pedagogy and praxis approach, I present a course model for engaging sorority members in critical analysis and feminist praxis around the issue of campus rape culture. This course model responds to two problems: (a) the prevailing disconnect between the efforts of departments of student affairs and academic affairs and (b) the untapped potential that faculty members with sorority or fraternity affiliations have as change agents by identifying themselves publically on campus. The resulting course provides a women‐only space where issues such as sexual assault can be analyzed, critiqued, and challenged in ways that incorporate the nuances within Greek subcultures on university campuses. Such courses may provide students with the intellectual space to challenge campus issues such as campus rape culture as well as empower them to engage in feminist praxis as change agents.

Responding to Gendered Violence Among College Students: The Impact of Participant Characteristics on Direct Bystander Intervention Behavior

ABSTRACTBystander intervention has been an effective strategy for crime prevention and has been successful in the context of campus sexual assault. Less is known about the extent to which individual-level factors correlate with intervention behavior in situations of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual harassment. The present study used a sample of 377 undergraduate student surveys on a campus without a bystander intervention program to examine the impact of individual-level participant factors on direct intervention across sexual assault, IPV, and sexual harassment scenarios. Findings demonstrated statistically significant differences where positive bystander attitudes and violence prevention efficacy correlated with direct intervention for sexual assault; positive bystander attitudes, personality extroversion, and exposure to a victim increased intervention behavior in an IPV scenario, and positive bystander attitudes and violence prevention efficacy increased direct intervention and lifetime experience of IPV decreased direct intervention in a sexual harassment scenario. Research and policy implications are discussed.

Measuring Sexual Violence on Campus: Climate Surveys and Vulnerable Groups

ABSTRACTSince the 2014 Not Alone report on campus sexual assault, the use of climate surveys to measure sexual violence on campuses across the United States has increased considerably. The current study utilizes a quasi meta-analysis approach to examine the utility of general campus climate surveys, which include a measure of sexual violence, in comparison to sexual assault specific climate surveys, in measuring student sexual assault experiences. Past research has highlighted the need to not only understand campus sexual assault prevalence rates for the general student population, but also the specific risk posed to more vulnerable populations such as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning/queer community (LGBQ) and Native American students. Results indicate that general campus climate surveys may be underestimating both the sexual victimization of the general student body as well as that of LGBQ and Native American students. Research and policy recommendations that focus on improved measurement of campus sexual assault experiences are discussed.

On the “Ordinary” Inclusion of Rape in the Teaching of the Hebrew Bible

On the “Ordinary” Inclusion of Rape in the Teaching of the Hebrew Bible Susanne Scholz (bio) Although the feminist study of rape in biblical texts and their interpretation histories has constituted the core of my doctoral research and much of my ensuing scholarship, I taught a course on “rape in religion” only once in my two decades of full-time teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.1 In spring 2000, fifteen brave undergraduate students enrolled in the course, and we studied how various religious traditions deal with the issue of rape.2 It was then that I hatched the idea to write a monograph on rape in the Hebrew Bible. I had noticed that no comprehensive volume existed at the time.3 I never again had the opportunity to teach an entire course on rape in religion. Instead, I encountered active administrative resistance from male-performing deans in two different institutions of higher education. One dean threatened me verbally to stop talking about biblical rape in the context of reports about rape charges on campus in the local student newspaper. Another dean advised that he thought it was time for me to identify a research topic other than rape. Meanwhile, national and international reports on rape in the world, in society, and on university campuses proliferated. The increased visibility and notoriety of rape made me wonder why these colleagues did not welcome my research as necessary scholarship on a virulently relevant topic in biblical, theological, and religious studies. Why should I let go of a research topic that stands so obviously on the sociopolitical and cultural-religious fore-front of our time? I did not entirely follow the questionable advice of the second dean although I did increase my output of more general publications in feminist biblical studies.4 Most importantly, I decided to teach about biblical and scholarly discourse [End Page 164] on rape whenever possible, especially in my bread-and-butter introductory religion and Bible courses. I have never regretted this decision for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, I avoided the risk of putting time and effort into the creation of a new course that might have been voted down in the proposal stage or appeared too daring during student registration time. As an elective, such a course would have appeared in the curriculum only every three years or so. However, by teaching biblical and scholarly rape discourse in my required classes, I address the topic every semester. This ordinary-inclusion approach has also allowed me to reach students from a broader spectrum of theological and religious backgrounds, many of whom would probably never register for an elective course on rape. I find that this approach is particularly helpful to seminary students who face serious curricular restraints or hold theologically restrictive views about the feminist study of the Bible. When they enroll in my introductory course on the Old Testament, they do not usually expect to study the Bible with a rape-prone critical hermeneutics. The surprise moment works to my pedagogical advantage, as students encounter biblical rape texts and their interpretation histories as part and parcel of the required course work. In fact, the ordinary-inclusion approach helps first-year or even more advanced students to connect exegetically, historically, socio-politically, culturally, and theologically rape-prone assumptions with their own readerly expectations about the meaning of the Bible. Thanks to recent activism surrounding campus rape and Title IX, my own teaching efforts have become considerably easier than they were in earlier years. Although, for instance, the current Title IX coordinator at my institution—Southern Methodist University (SMU)—still seems puzzled as to why my teaching and research matters to her efforts of making SMU compliant with Title IX, many of my current students are aware of the law. They favor the idea that the issue of rape matters profoundly to reading the Bible and studying religion. The best of my students come away from my courses with considerable sensitivity to the sociopolitical, cultural, and religious locatedness of their own hermeneutical preferences for reading the Bible as a political artifact about rape. They recognize the various structures of domination that make them assume rape-prone meanings...

Privatization, State Action, and Title IX: Do Campus Sexual Assault Hearings Violate Due Process?

Sexual assault hearings are taking place at colleges and universities all over the country under the mandate of a 2011 Department of Education Dear Colleague letter. The procedures followed are secretive, sometimes inquisitorial, and frequently in violation of fundamental due process principles. Courts, however, have ruled that Due Process does not apply to sexual assault hearings at private schools because private schools are not state actors. These rulings are clearly mistaken. The Due Process Clause applies in full to campus Title IX sexual assault investigations and adjudications conducted under the mandate of the Dear Colleague letter.

English

A quasi-experimental study assessed attitudes toward sexual violence policies and campus resources among undergraduate students at a medium-sized, Mid-Atlantic university. An online survey discovered significant differences between students who received different levels of sexual assault education during and after orientation. Students with higher levels of sexual assault education were more confident in their understanding of campus sexual assault policies and resources, irrespective of the accuracy of their knowledge.

Fraternities and Campus Sexual Violence: Risk, Protection, and Prevention

Abstract Campus fraternity homes have long been associated as party houses with ample alcohol and sexual activity. The development of a party culture for universities and fraternities is associated with high levels of alcohol use. Alcohol consumption is a commonly cited risk factor for both perpetration and victimization of sexual violence. This review examines party culture as applied to campus climate, traditional gender roles, and rape culture with a focus on fraternity organizations. Fraternities as both a risk and protective factor are discussed. This review then discusses prevention program techniques of varying success with fraternity brothers and offers suggestions for future research and prevention programs.