Sexual Harassment of Students at Institutions of Higher Education: Variations in Students’ Experiences, Knowledge, and Perceptions Across Institutions

2021 ◽  
pp. 155708512110625
Author(s):  
L. B. Klein ◽  
Marie C. D. Stoner ◽  
Nivedita L. Bhushan ◽  
Grace E. Mulholland ◽  
Bonnie S. Fisher ◽  
...  

Attention to sexual misconduct has focused on acquaintance rape, leaving a need for research on less highly recognizable forms of harm. We estimated institution of higher education (IHE)-specific prevalence of yellow zone sexual harassment (SH) among students at 27 IHEs. We then examined SH and perceived risk of sexual assault/misconduct, knowledge regarding policies/resources, and perceptions of sexual misconduct response. Between 37.1% and 55.7% of students experienced SH. Harassed students were much more likely than non-harassed students to feel at risk for sexual misconduct and to have negative views of sexual misconduct response. Implications for research, policy, and prevention/response are discussed.

2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (5) ◽  
pp. 555-559
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Mumford ◽  
Sharyn Potter ◽  
Bruce G. Taylor ◽  
Jane Stapleton

Young adults are at high risk for sexual harassment and sexual assault. Although attention has been given to prevention on college campuses, the need for prevention may be at least as high for young adults who do not attend college as for young adults who do. In October 2019, we administered a nationally representative survey of 893 adults to measure sexual harassment and sexual assault victimization during a recall period defined as “during college years” for respondents who had enrolled in college at any time or “ages 18-24” for respondents not in college. Reported rates of sexual harassment (32.7%) and sexual assault (24.6%) during early adulthood were similar for respondents who reported having ever enrolled in college and for respondents who reported never attending college. Women were more likely than men to report both sexual harassment (37.4% vs 22.4%) and sexual assault (36.0% vs 16.0%) during early adulthood. Compared with respondents aged ≥30, respondents aged 18-29 were 105% more likely to report sexual harassment and 65% more likely to report sexual assault. Moreover, sexual harassment experiences predicted sexual assault victimization (adjusted odds ratio = 18.1). This study highlights the importance of attending to sexual harassment and sexual assault risks for young adults through research, policy, and criminal justice structures beyond institutions of higher education. Evidence that sexual harassment is strongly associated with sexual assault victimization of young adults highlights the importance of naming and stemming early behavioral transgressions across the US population.


2021 ◽  
pp. 155708512110626
Author(s):  
Shauntey James ◽  
Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) have used restorative justice (RJ) to address sexual misconduct on college campuses under Title IX. In 2020, Title IX guidance was codified. The application of RJ under the new policy may create procedural and distributive justice issues. This article (1) defines the new policy; (2) explores suitability of RJ to sexual misconduct and specifically yellow zone behavior under the new policy; (3) discusses justice for the various stakeholders under the guise of advantages and disadvantages; and (4) makes recommendations to strengthen the choice of either implementing or not implementing restorative justice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 952-971
Author(s):  
Dong Ha Kim ◽  
Myung-Yong Um ◽  
Hyunkag Cho ◽  
Eui Bhin Lee ◽  
Jong Serl Chun ◽  
...  

The aim of the current study was to gain understanding about incidences of sexual misconduct and bystander behaviors in South Korean universities. Specifically, risk factors were examined associated with three different types of sexual assault victimization (verbal or visual sexual harassment, physically forced sexual assault, and incapacitated sexual assault) and investigated the factors related to bystander behaviors. Data were collected via an online survey tool called SurveyMonkey in 2016. The total sample of participants comprised 1,944 enrolled undergraduate and graduate students from six universities in Seoul, South Korea. One logistic regression was conducted with a sample who reported sexual assault victimization (n = 1,079) to examine the risk factors associated with the three types of sexual misconduct. The other logistic regression was conducted with the subsample of bystanders (n = 540) to examine the relationships between bystander behavior and risk factors. In the main results, each type of sexual misconduct was associated differentially with age, alcohol blackouts, depression, child abuse and neglect, being an international student, and childhood sexual victimization. Also, persons who were older, self-identified LGBT, and victimized by verbal or visual sexual harassment at university were more likely to intervene when sexual misconduct occurred. These findings have implications for policies and interventions to reduce and prevent sexual misconduct in Korean universities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-632
Author(s):  
Kathryn J. Holl ◽  
Allison E. Cipriano

College sexual assault is a widespread issue and the responses of support providers can greatly affect sexual assault survivors' wellbeing after a disclosure. Although “consent” (or, more precisely, the lack thereof) is the defining feature of sexual assault, little is known about how support providers understand consent and draw from this knowledge in their responses to disclosures. This is particularly important in the wake of evolving consent policies in institutions of higher education. University resident assistants (RAs) are an important source of support for students in crisis, functioning as a “first responder” and providing support. Using a sample of 305 RAs, the current study employs a critical discourse analysis to examine how RAs engage with the concept of consent in response to sexual assault disclosure situations. Four types of consent discourses were identified: (a) affirming nonconsent, (b) validating right to consent, (c) questioning nonconsent, and (d) dictating how to consent. Findings provide a novel examination of how consent is understood, communicated, and reinforced in the campus community, and the implications of these discourses for survivors. Results suggest there may be benefit in additional training for support providers around the conceptualization of consent and how to discuss consent with survivors.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 1249-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Wood ◽  
Caitlin Sulley ◽  
Matt Kammer-Kerwick ◽  
Diane Follingstad ◽  
Noël Busch-Armendariz

Author(s):  
Nick Dix ◽  
Andrew Lail ◽  
Matt Birnbaum ◽  
Joseph Paris

Institutions of higher education often use the term “at-risk” to label undergraduate students who have a higher likelihood of not persisting. However, it is not clear how the use of this label impacts the perspectives of the higher education professionals who serve and support these students. Our qualitative study explores the descriptions and understandings of higher education professionals who serve and support at-risk students. We use thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) to interpret our data and develop our themes. These themes include conflicting views of the “at-risk” definition, attempts to normalize at-risk, fostering relationships, and “at-promise.”


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-241
Author(s):  
Brian Pappas

Purpose How do university compliance administrators implement the rules prohibiting campus sexual misconduct? Title IX Coordinators’ authority is legal–rational and derives from the power to enforce Title IX and university rules. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach Analyzing narratives collected from administrators at 22 large institutions of higher education, this paper distinguishes rules from relationship-oriented Coordinators and develops an understanding of how and why Title IX Coordinators utilize relational authority as they implement Title IX. Findings The key finding is that relational administrators exhibit less institutional authority than their rules-based counterparts and focus on their relationships with complainants and respondents over university leaders and administrators. Originality/value While other researchers have focused on rules, this research demonstrates how Title IX Coordinators draw heavily on relational strategies.


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