The Sexual Victimization of College Students: A Test of Routine Activity Theory

2020 ◽  
pp. 001112872095434
Author(s):  
Brittany E. Hayes ◽  
Eryn Nicole O’Neal ◽  
Cristal N. Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Campus Climate ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Routine Activity Theory ◽  
Routine Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Survey Instruments ◽  
Theory Test

This study examines the applicability of theoretically-relevant routine activity variables to understand the risk of sexual victimization among college students. Analyses assess if routine activity-related variables have similar explanatory power for rape and sexual assault. Indicators of “proximity to motivated offenders” and “exposure to crime” were associated with rape. Indicators related to “proximity to motivated offenders,” “exposure to crime,” and “target attractiveness” were associated with sexual assault. Indicators capturing “guardianship” were not associated with either rape or sexual assault. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed. Specifically, it is possible to theory-test using campus climate survey instruments.

Factors Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomology Among Women Who Have Experienced Sexual Assault in Canada

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051986008
Author(s):  
Janice Du Mont ◽  
Holly Johnson ◽  
Cassandra Hill
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Dating Violence ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Sexually Assaulted

There is a dearth of information about the association of victim-related and assailant-related characteristics and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among sexually assaulted women. Recently, Statistics Canada included items measuring the possible presence of PTSD symptoms in their 2014 nationally representative General Social Survey on Victimization (GSS-V), for the purpose of improving the understanding of mental health impacts associated with sexual victimization. The present study used the GSS-V to examine the association of sociodemographic, health, and assailant characteristics and prior traumatic experiences in the form of physical or sexual dating violence, physical assault, stalking, childhood abuse, and witnessing of violence between parents with PTSD symptomology among sexually assaulted women. Among 319 women who reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual assault in the 12 months prior to the survey, 68.6% had experienced at least one negative emotional impact as a result, among whom, 43.6% reported past-month PTSD symptoms. Logistic regression modeling revealed that prior traumatic events in the form of physical or sexual dating violence, stalking, and having witnessed violence between parents were associated with higher odds of experiencing PTSD symptoms, as was having been sexually assaulted by a known assailant. In contrast, the odds of experiencing PTSD symptoms was lower for Aboriginal or visible minority women. The results suggest that PTSD symptoms in the near aftermath of sexual victimization are common, and there are a range of factors that contribute to the likelihood of developing these symptoms. Implications for future research are discussed.

Campus Sexual Assault: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Research From 2000 to 2015

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Fedina ◽  
Jennifer Lynne Holmes ◽  
Bethany L. Backes
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Coercion ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sexual Contact ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Unwanted Sexual Contact

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem on university and college campuses in the United States that has garnered growing national attention, particularly in the past year. This is the first study to systematically review and synthesize prevalence findings from studies on campus sexual assault (CSA) published since 2000 ( n = 34). The range of prevalence findings for specific forms of sexual victimization on college campuses (i.e., forcible rape, unwanted sexual contact, incapacitated rape, sexual coercion, and studies’ broad definitions of CSA/rape) is provided, and methodological strengths and limitations in the empirical body of research on CSA are discussed. Prevalence findings, research design, methodology, sampling techniques, and measures, including the forms of sexual victimization measured, are presented and evaluated across studies. Findings suggest that unwanted sexual contact appears to be most prevalent on college campuses, including sexual coercion, followed by incapacitated rape, and completed or attempted forcible rape. Additionally, several studies measured broad constructs of sexual assault that typically include combined forms of college-based sexual victimization (i.e., forcible completed or attempted rape, unwanted sexual contact, and/or sexual coercion). Extensive variability exists within findings for each type of sexual victimization measured, including those that broadly measure sexual assault, which is largely explained by differences in sampling strategies and overall study designs as well as measures of sexual assault used in studies. Implications for findings and recommendations for future research on the prevalence of college-based sexual victimization are provided.

scholarly journals Alcohol Expectancy, Drinking Behavior, and Sexual Victimization Among Female and Male College Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (15) ◽  
pp. 2298-2322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly A. Tyler ◽  
Rachel M. Schmitz ◽  
Scott A. Adams
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Drinking Behavior ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Alcohol Expectancies ◽  
Hooking Up ◽  
Alcohol Expectancy ◽  
Housing Type ◽  
The Relationship

College students have high rates of heavy drinking, and this dangerous behavior is strongly linked to sexual victimization. Although research has examined risk factors for sexual assault, few studies have simultaneously studied the various pathways through which risks may affect sexual assault and how these pathways may be uniquely different among females and males. As such, the current study uses path analyses to examine whether alcohol expectancies mediate the relationship between social factors (e.g., hooking up, amount friends drink) and drinking behavior and experiencing sexual victimization, and whether drinking behavior mediates the relationship between alcohol expectancies and sexual victimization among a college sample of 704 males and females from a large Midwestern university. For both females and males, sexual victimization was positively associated with child sexual abuse, hooking up more often, and heavier drinking, whereas greater alcohol expectancies were associated with sexual victimization only for females. Several mediating pathways were found for both females and males. Gender comparisons revealed that some of the pathways to sexual victimization such as hooking up, amount friends drink, and housing type operated differently for females and males.

Factors Associated with the Guardianship of Places: Assessing the Relative Importance of the Spatio-Physical and Sociodemographic Contexts in Generating Opportunities for Capable Guardianship

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle M. Reynald
Keyword(s):  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Property Crime ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Routine Activity Theory ◽  
Routine Activity ◽  
Occupancy Monitoring ◽  
Observational Measure ◽  
Suitable Target

Routine activity theory can be applied to places in which a motivated offender encounters a suitable target that is not effectively guarded. The focus of this article was on the third aspect of this theory as the explanatory power of guardianship was examined and compared to other related contextual factors in explaining criminal victimization at micro-places. This empirical study used an observational measure of guardianship in action in residential places by observing household occupancy, monitoring by residents, and direct intervention during the daytime and nighttime. The results demonstrated the significant role of active guardianship compared to other spatio-physical and sociodemographic factors in explaining the amount of property crime recorded at the street segment level. This article is concluded by highlighting the ways in which these contextual factors help generate opportunities for capable guardianship, while simultaneously blocking opportunities for property crime.

scholarly journals Sexual Assault and Alcohol Use among College Students: A Critical Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaili Calasso ◽  
Carly Thompson-Memmer ◽  
Aaron J Kruse-Diehr ◽  
Tavis Glassman
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
The United States ◽  
General Information ◽  
Female College Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Higher Education ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Female College ◽  
Polysubstance Use

The purpose of this study was to assess the extant literature on the relationship between alcohol and sexual assault among college students. A literature search was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), PsycINFO, JSTOR, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Key search terms included sexual assault, alcohol, and college students. A total of 23 articles met inclusion criteria, the plurality (47.8%) of which were cross-sectional and featured convenience samples (43.5%). All studies were conducted at public higher education institutions in the United States. The most salient crosscutting themes included perceived low risk for sexual assault among female college students, higher likelihood of severe sexual assault among women who consumed more alcohol, and general information about polysubstance use and sexual assault risk. Methodological shortcomings included an overreliance on convenience sampling, lack of reporting of where samples were obtained, and single-site data collection. Given the large number of studies that found women who consume alcohol are more likely than their nondrinking counterparts to experience sexual assault, public health educators must continue to prioritize female college students who drink. However, interventions should target potential perpetrators rather than focusing solely on how victims can avoid risky situations. Future research should include diverse, random samples across multiple institutions topromote greater generalizability of findings.

scholarly journals Who Are Their Leaders? College Students Perceptions of and Engagement with Campus Leaders and Administrators

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rizzo ◽  
Dana J. Tribble ◽  
Louis S. Nadelson
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Campus Climate ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Campus Leaders ◽  
Campus Administrators

College students’ interactions with campus leaders is critical to their success, particularly in situations of distress. Yet, little is known about college students’ knowledge, perceptions, and identification of campus administrators, faculty members, and staff as leaders and their interactions with these campus leaders. To fill the gap in the literature, we applied a cross-sectional methodology to gather a combination of quantitative and qualitative data using an online survey. We had 60 first-year students participate in our exploratory research by fully completing our survey. We found that students identified their advisors as leaders on campus. We also found most of our participants avoided campus administrators in fear of judgment, intimidation, and feelings of anxiety. Our results have implications for campus leadership, college administrators, student retention, and campus climate. Following our results, we discuss implications for practice and offer additional recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Cybercrime Victimization and Problematic Social Media Use: Findings from a Nationally Representative Panel Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eetu Marttila ◽  
Aki Koivula ◽  
Pekka Räsänen
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Routine Activity Theory ◽  
Routine Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Problematic Social Media Use ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractAccording to criminological research, online environments create new possibilities for criminal activity and deviant behavior. Problematic social media use (PSMU) is a habitual pattern of excessive use of social media platforms. Past research has suggested that PSMU predicts risky online behavior and negative life outcomes, but the relationship between PSMU and cybercrime victimization is not properly understood. In this study, we use the framework of routine activity theory (RAT) and lifestyle-exposure theory (LET) to examine the relationship between PSMU and cybercrime victimization. We analyze how PSMU is linked to cybercrime victimization experiences. We explore how PSMU predicts cybercrime victimization, especially under those risky circumstances that generally increase the probability of victimization. Our data come from nationally representative surveys, collected in Finland in 2017 and 2019. The results of the between-subjects tests show that problematic PSMU correlates relatively strongly with cybercrime victimization. Within-subjects analysis shows that increased PSMU increases the risk of victimization. Overall, the findings indicate that, along with various confounding factors, PSMU has a notable cumulative effect on victimization. The article concludes with a short summary and discussion of the possible avenues for future research on PSMU and cybercrime victimization.

The Mediating Roles of Hostility and Dissociation in the Relationship Between Sexual Assault and Suicidal Thinking in College Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1635-1653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristy M. Keefe ◽  
Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin ◽  
Naoyuki Sunami
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Dialectical Behavior Therapy ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Anger Expression ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Suicidal Thinking ◽  
The Relationship

Sexual assault and suicide are two serious public health concerns. Research has documented the relationship between sexual assault and suicidal thinking and attempts; however, limited research explores the more multifaceted relationships between posttraumatic stress reactions and suicidal ideation in college students through unsuccessful modulation of emotion. The authors hypothesized a mediation model where the relationship between sexual assault and suicidal ideation is mediated by dissociation and hostility. In total, 1,677 undergraduate students were administered modified versions of the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ), Symptom Checklist–90–Revised (SCL-90-R), and Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire (PDEQ). The results revealed both significant partial but equal mediators of hostility and dissociation. However, a portion of the direct effect between sexual assault and suicidal ideation remained unaccounted for by indirect effects. The current model supports previous work on dialectical behavior therapy that says either side of the dialectic between extreme expression and suppression of hostility increases the likelihood of suicidal thinking after sexual assault. With sexual assault survivors, practitioners should use strategies that emphasize both anger expression and healthy avoidance as a way to modulate emotion to potentially reduce suicidal thoughts. Future research should focus on different gender models, additional possible mediators such as alcohol use and guilt, and different forms of sexual assault. Limitations of the correlational, cross-sectional methodology are discussed.

Individual, Behavioral, and Situational Correlates of the Drugging Victimization Experiences of College Women

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara D. Warner ◽  
Christopher T. Allen ◽  
Bonnie S. Fisher ◽  
Christopher P. Krebs ◽  
Sandra Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Historically Black ◽  
College Women ◽  
Routine Activity Theory ◽  
Black College ◽  
Routine Activity ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Institutional Differences ◽  
The Individual

Interest in “drugging” has increased, with much focus on drugging victimization within the context of sexual assault and particularly among college students. This study uses data from the Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study and the Historically Black College and University Campus Sexual Assault (HBCU-CSA) Study to explore college women’s drugging victimization experiences beyond those limited to drug-facilitated sexual assault. We draw on a lifestyle-exposure/routine activity theory approach to personal victimization integrated with scholarship on gendered opportunities and the campus party culture to examine the individual, behavioral, and situational characteristics embedded in the campus environment that place college women at increased risks of being drugged. We pay particular attention to cultural and institutional differences shaping experiences and risks at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Findings show that 5% and 4% of women at PWIs and HBCUs, respectively, report drugging victimization and that exposure to risky situations (e.g., fraternity party attendance) is a risk factor primarily for women at PWIs.

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