scholarly journals The Campus Sexual Assault Policy and Prevention Initiative: Findings From Key Informant Interviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 75S-84S
Author(s):  
Deborah Backman ◽  
Kaitlin Spear ◽  
Elizabeth A. Mumford ◽  
Bruce G. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Sexual Misconduct ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Task Forces ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
National Organizations ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
Recommended Guidelines ◽  
Sexual Assault Policy

Addressing the widespread problem of sexual assault in college environments requires both prevention programming and policies addressing sexual misconduct in institutions of higher education. Through the Campus Sexual Assault Policy and Prevention Initiative, nine programs funded by the Office on Women’s Health approached this problem within a network of eight to 13 campuses apiece, supported by national organizations and local task forces. Near the close of the 3-year project period (June 2016–June 2019), key informant interviews were conducted with project directors and campus representatives. Contextual factors elucidating the project approaches, challenges, and successes were investigated through 31 interviews (nine grantee interviews and 22 campus representative interviews). Analyses across all interview content contributed to the development of several key themes related to staffing efforts to strengthen campus policies and prevention programs, working within institutions of varying structural characteristics, infusing efforts with trauma-informed perspectives, attending to cultural differences across campuses, and seeking to follow recommended guidelines in the context of campus-specific factors. Overall, the interviewees reported specific progress toward the program goals.

scholarly journals The Benefits and Challenges of a Regional Network to Address Campus Sexual Assault

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 26S-35S
Author(s):  
Patrick McGann ◽  
Jane E. Palmer ◽  
Greerlin Thomas ◽  
Lauren Ricci ◽  
Leah Haake
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Student Leadership ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Regional Network ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Task Forces

To respond to the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses, many postsecondary institutions have instituted campus climate surveys, strengthened sexual assault misconduct policies, and created sexual assault task forces to coordinate entities within the institutional setting. However, few colleges and universities have engaged with regional networks to exchange resources, research, and innovative practices across campuses. This exploratory study applies the theoretical framework of social exchange theory to examine the necessary infrastructure for a regional network to enhance campus policies and prevention programs related to sexual assault, and the efficacy of providing formal and informal opportunities for information sharing. Interviews were conducted with 10 staff and students from seven of the nine campuses in the network. The sample includes representatives from one large public university, two historically Black colleges, a community college, and three private universities, one of which is faith based. Results indicate that there are several benefits and a few challenges for college campuses that participate in a regional network. Primary benefits include resource and information exchange, as well as new opportunities for student leadership and collaboration across campuses. Some challenges include staff turnover and limited time to devote to the network, as well as distance between some campuses. Based on these findings, it is recommended that universities consider building informal or formal alliances with regional colleges for mutual benefit.

Examining the Role of Gender in Educational Policy Formation: The Case of Campus Sexual Assault Legislation, 2007–2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-643
Author(s):  
DAVID R. JOHNSON ◽  
LIANG ZHANG
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
State Policy ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
Policy Adoption ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Persistent Problem ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
State Policy Adoption ◽  
Sexual Assault Policy

The persistent problem of sexual assault on college campuses is receiving attention in both the public sphere and state legislatures. Although a considerable body of research examines various aspects of campus sexual assault, such as rates and reporting, scholars have not examined how state characteristics and interstate dynamics influence the policy process related to campus sexual assault. This gap is compounded by an underemphasis on gender in theories of state policy adoption, even as a record number of women serve in state legislatures. Drawing on a data set that captures the introduction and enactment of campus sexual assault legislation between 2007 and 2017, David R. Johnson and Liang Zhang examine in this article how the state policy adoption and diffusion framework explains the introduction and enactment of campus sexual assault policy. The results of their study show that the number of forcible sex offenses at public colleges, the number of female Democrats in state senates, contributions from women’s interest groups, gubernatorial power, Republican influence, and bipartisan sponsorship influence the campus sexual assault policy process, with varying influence across legislative stages. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for researchers interested in policy adoption and gender issues as well as for advocates working on campus sexual assault policy reform.

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

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Mancini ◽  
Justin T. Pickett ◽  
Corey Call ◽  
Robyn Diehl McDougle ◽  
Sarah Jane Brubaker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Mandatory Reporting ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
The Public ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Institutional Accountability ◽  
Sexual Assault Policy ◽  
Research And Policy

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.

scholarly journals Starting the Conversation: Are Campus Sexual Assault Policies Related to the Prevalence of Campus Sexual Assault?

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (21) ◽  
pp. 3315-3343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. DeLong ◽  
Laurie M. Graham ◽  
Erin P. Magee ◽  
Sarah Treves-Kagan ◽  
Christine L. Gray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Sex Discrimination ◽  
Sexual Misconduct ◽  
School Level ◽  
American Universities ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Association Of American Universities ◽  
The Impact

One goal of university campus sexual assault (CSA) policies is to help prevent CSA. Federal guidance in the 2014 White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault Checklist for Campus Sexual Misconduct Policies suggests 10 elements for inclusion in CSA policies (e.g., Policy Introduction, Grievance/Adjudication), and outlines policy topics to be included within each element (Policy Introduction includes two topics: statement of prohibition against sex discrimination including sexual misconduct and statement of commitment to address sexual misconduct). However, no research has examined whether CSA policies impact CSA prevalence. To begin addressing this gap, we studied 24 universities participating in the 2015 Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. We linked 2014-2015 data from these universities’ CSA policies and their CSA prevalence findings from the 2015 Association of American Universities (AAU) survey. To test whether the comprehensiveness of schools’ CSA policies was related to schools’ CSA prevalence, we examined the degree to which the CSA policies included recommended policy content from the aforementioned Checklist. Policies were characterized as more comprehensive if they included greater numbers of Checklist topics. We then correlated the number of topics within the policies with school-level CSA prevalence. We also explored whether there was lower CSA prevalence among schools with policies containing particular topics. Results suggested that greater comprehensiveness of schools’ entire CSA policies was negatively correlated with CSA prevalence; however, these findings did not approach statistical significance. The number of negative correlations observed between schools’ CSA policy elements and CSA prevalence among undergraduate women was greater than expected by chance alone, suggesting a possible connection between comprehensive CSA policies and CSA prevalence. Schools with policies that included a topic on their sexual assault response team had the lowest CSA prevalence for both women and men, and schools that included topics describing grievance/adjudication procedures had lower CSA prevalence. This study provides a novel examination of CSA and could inform needed research related to the impact of CSA policies on CSA.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document