Sexual Violence and Women’s Education: Examining Academic Performance and Persistence

Canadian Journal of Higher Education

This article presents a portrait of sexual violence on university campuses (SVUC) at six universities in Québec (Canada) and explores differences and similarities in the experiences of students, professors and employees. Data are drawn from the Enquête Sexualité, Sécurité et Interactions en Milieu Universitaire (ESSIMU). They reveal disturbing rates of SVUC among students (36.2%), professors (38.8%) and employees (38.7%). The results show that the hierarchical status of perpetrators was higher than that of victims for a significant proportion of professors (33%) and employees (50.7%). When asked about the type of assistance they would want in the event of SVUC, the majority of students, professors and employees affirmed they would want support during the reporting/complaint process, information about available recourse within the university to report the incident, and psychological support provided by a resource outside the university.

Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2008

Little attention has been given to repeat violent and sexual victimization among college women. Using two national-level data sets, the authors find that a small proportion of college women experience a large proportion of violent and sexual victimizations. Women are more likely to experience repeat sexual victimization than repeat violence incidents. Repeat victimization tends to happen in the same month of the initial victimization, and the most likely next type of victimization is by far the same type of victimization. Comparing incident-level characteristics of repeat incidents to single incidents, there are few differences, with the exception that, in a larger proportion of single incidents, women took self-protective action. Implications for prevention and educational programs are discussed. Downloaded from Leah E. Daigle is an assistant professor of Criminal Justice at Georgia State University. Her most recent research has focused on the development and continuation of offending and victimization over time, sexual victimization of college women, and gender differences in the antecedents to and consequences of criminal victimization and participation across the life course. Bonnie S. Fisher is a professor in the Division of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati and a senior research fellow at the Criminal Justice Research Center. Her most recent work examines the extent and nature of repeat sexual victimization among college women, assesses the efficacy of the protective action-completion nexus for sexual victimization, and assesses the extent and nature of workplace victimization.

Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2019

A multisite survey conducted at eight campuses of a southwestern university system provides the data for the present study, total N = 17,039 with 1,869 gender and sexual minority (GSM) students. Sexual violence was measured using the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES), and analysis included both the participant’s risk of experiencing sexual violence and the extent (or total count) of sexual violence experienced. This study poses the following research questions: What effects do gender identity and sexual orientation have on the risk and extent of sexual violence among students and, among victims, what is the relationship between gender identity/sexual orientation and mental health (posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression) and academic environment (disengagement and safety) outcomes for university students? Multilevel, random effect hurdle models captured this sequential victimization dynamic. GSM and cisgender heterosexual (CH) female students are predicted to be 2.6 and 3 tim...

This Report is an examination of the police and institutional responses to sexual violence at Ontario university campuses. It is based on a comprehensive desk study of the extant literature as well as site studies at three Ontario universities: Carleton University, Lakehead University and the University of Waterloo. The study was conducted over a four-month period (March-June 2016) and includes approximately 120 hours of interview data. We interviewed three respondent groups: (1) campus administrators and service providers (n=50), (2) campus and local police (n=29), and (3) sexual violence survivors (n=18) and students (n=29).

2012

Sexual and gendered violence in the education sector is a worldwide concern, but in the UK it has been marginalised in research and policy. In this paper we present findings from the National Union of Students' study Hidden Marks, the first nationwide survey of women students' experiences of violence. This research established high levels of prevalence, with one in four respondents being subject to unwanted sexual behaviour during their studies. We analyse why the issue of violence against women students has remained low profile in this country, whereas in the USA, where victimisation rates are similar, it has had a high profile since the 1980s and interventions to tackle it have received a significant amount of federal support. We urge UK policymakers, universities, students' unions and academics to address the problem, and make suggestions about initial actions to take.

PLOS ONE, 2021

Background Intimate partner sexual violence and non-partner rape experiences are widely reported by female students in South African higher education institutions, as they are globally. However, limited research has focused on investigating vulnerability factors, which is vital for informing interventions. Objective To describe the factors and inter-relationships associated with female students’ increased vulnerability to past year experience of partner sexual violence and non-partner rape in South African higher education settings. Methods We interviewed 1293 female students, i.e., 519 students in six Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college campuses and 774 students at three university campuses. Participants were volunteers aged 18–30. The measured vulnerability factors included childhood sexual abuse, other trauma, mental ill-health, risky sexual behaviours, food insecurity, partner violence, and controlling behaviours. We used bivariate analysis, logistic regre...

2018

Sexual assault involves any behavior where one individual makes sexual contact with another without explicit consent (Department of Justice, 2017). More than 20% of females and 11% of males in undergraduate programs are victims of sexual assault annually. Sexual assault can significantly impact survivors’ academic performance and progress and may result in a survivor dropping out of school. Despite the many support services available on most campus, more than 90% of sexual assault incidents are left unreported. Sexual assault can have devastating and long-term effects on its victims. Even with proper policies and practices (e.g., Title IX), students within colleges and universities do not report or seek support services. This integrative literature review explores literature on how sexual assault impacts victims.

Journal of American College Health, 2018

Objective: To assess the prevalence of sexual violence victimization among a community college student population. Participants: In March 2017, students (800) from seven community colleges in a northeastern state participated in an online campus climate survey using the ARC3 Survey Instrument. Methods: We analyze demographic differences between participants who were victimized and those who were not, and we examine the relationship between participant victimization and well-being. Results: Participants who identified as female, younger than 26, not heterosexual, or a race other than Caucasian were significantly more likely to report victimization. Participants who reported victimization were significantly more likely to score negatively on well-being scales than those who did not. Conclusions: Sexual violence prevalence rates among community college students are similar to reported prevalence rates among traditional 4-year undergraduate students. Results suggest a need for increased research on sexual violence among the understudied community college student population.

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

Sexual violence among higher education institution (HEI) students is a growing public health concern. To date, there is little evidence on how to effectively prevent sexual violence among this demographic. This study is the first systematic review to meta-analyze all available evidence for risk and protective factors of sexual violence perpetrated by men at HEIs. We searched four electronic databases and multiple gray literature sources. We screened studies using prespecified selection criteria for the sample (HEI students who identify as men), outcome (sexual violence perpetration against peers), and study design (quantitative and longitudinal). Longitudinal studies provide the most rigorous available evidence on risk and protective factors. We identified 16 studies and meta-analyzed eight different risk factors: alcohol consumption, hostility toward women, delinquency, fraternity membership, history of sexual violence perpetration, rape myth acceptance, age at first sex, and peer ...

This study contributes extremely important data to our understanding about the prevalence and nature of violence against women in the United States.

Psychology & Sexuality, 2018

The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of the data, writing of the report, nor the decision to submit the article for publication.

Journal of interpersonal violence, 2019

Experiencing sexual violence is an important risk factor for trauma symptoms, and these symptoms significantly impair psychosocial functioning. Sexual and gender minority university students are more likely than their heterosexual and cisgender peers to experience sexual violence (e.g., sexual harassment, unwanted sexual contact, or sexual coercion) while attending university, but research on the consequences of these experiences is needed to inform service provision to these vulnerable populations. Using a large-scale study of university-based sexual violence in Quebec, the current study examined how gender and sexual minority status were associated with the severity of trauma symptoms among students who experienced sexual violence (N = 1,196). Findings indicated that compared with their cisgender peers, gender minority students experienced significantly higher levels of trauma symptoms as a result of sexual violence, controlling for the severity of sexual violence behaviors experienced and other variables. Among cisgender women, but not cisgender men, sexual minority identity was also associated with higher levels of trauma symptoms, controlling for severity of sexual violence behaviors experienced and other variables. Furthermore, gender of perpetrator and amount of sexual violence moderated the associations between sexual identity and trauma symptoms among cisgender women. These findings not only suggest that gender minority and some sexual minority university students are more likely to experience sexual violence, but that they are also more likely to experience negative psychological sequelae as a consequence of these experiences. Ultimately, these findings may suggest the need for services that are more supportive of the specific needs of gender and sexual minority students with regard to sexual violence.

Advances in social science, education and humanities research, 2023

Sexual violence on campus occurs a lot, but what comes to the surface is not known for certain. No wonder sexual violence in college is like an iceberg. This raises the real question of what kind of understanding of sexual violence on students ?. There fore it is important to map the understanding of sexual violence among students on campus X. The research respondents totaled 242 consisting of 92 men and 150 women who were willing to fill out the scale of understanding sexual violence through the google form. Data analysis used descriptive statistical test. The results showed that the understanding of sexual violence was at a sufficient level, which was 66.94%. This means that students have knowledge about the definition, impact and know how to prevent sexual violence. Based on 3 aspects of the measurement of sexual violence, the highest is the students who understand the most about the prevention of sexual violence, the youngest is the impact of sexual violence and the lowest is the knowledge about sexual violence. This shows that students understand how to prevent sexual violence even though their knowledge of sexual violence still needs to be improved. Prevention of sexual violence can be done through the courage of students to refuse or avoid when lecturers, staff or friends of students are indicated to have committed sexual violence. Prevention can also be done through periodic socialization to campus residents. In addition, campuses need to have counseling services for sexual violence and the existence of an Anti-Sexual Violence.

Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 2018

To determine the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and academic performance among heterosexual and sexual minority undergraduates, including whether health mediates this relationship. A national sample of undergraduate students aged 18-24 years old who completed the 2011-2014 National College Health Assessment IIb (N = 85,071). We used structural equation modeling to create a latent variable of IPV victimization (stalking, physical, sexual, and emotional violence) in order to test its relationship with health (physical and mental) and two indicators of academic performance (GPA and perceived academic difficulties), according to participants' sexual identity (heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and unsure). Regardless of sexual identity, undergraduates who reported IPV were more likely to have lower GPA and increased academic difficulties. Health mediates this relationship, such that IPV reduces health, which negatively affects performance. IPV poses a serious...

Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2022

Background: The phenomenon of gender-based violence is a global phenomenon that affects women negatively, including those in higher education. The scourge of gender-based violence has been highlighted in numerous studies and statistics have shown that instead of decreasing, the incidence thereof is rising. Aim: To critically analyse research that has been conducted to understand the phenomenon of gender-based violence in higher education. Methodology: The revised integrative review protocol of Whittemore and Knafl was employed in the analysis. A comprehensive search was undertaken for gender-based violence in higher education research conducted and published between 2010 and 2021. Literature indexes in CINAHL, Medline, Proquest and Pubmed were searched. Search terms were gender-based, violence, and higher education. The integrative approach was used to conduct the methodological review. A sample of 12 research articles and reports that met the inclusion criteria were analysed. A systematic iterative method was employed to extract and reduce the data in order to draw conclusions. Results: Factors leading to gender-based violence, its effects on the victim and methods to eliminate its occurrence were revealed by the analysis. Conclusion: Becoming aware of factors contributing to gender-based violence and strategies to address this scourge can minimise the occurrence of gender-based violence in higher education institutions. Contribution: Understanding the concepts and strategies to prevent the occurrence of gender-based violence can assist higher education institutions to minimise these incidences.