Statistics at a Glance

STATISTICS HELP EXPLAIN PATTERNS

Research and program evaluation findings can help illuminate disparities and communicate the urgency of acting to address sexual violence. Below are some statistics at a glance in five topic areas that are important to us.

PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Campus climate surveys and academic research consistently report a high prevalence of sexual assault among college students: approximately 1 in 4 female undergraduates and nearly 1 in 14 male undergraduates experience sexual violence after enrolling in their college or university (Cantor et al., 2019).
Transgender students experience an elevated risk of victimization: One survey of students at 33 colleges showed that nearly 23% of undergraduate trans/nonbinary/gender-questioning students had experienced nonconsensual sexual contact involving physical force or incapacitation (Cantor et al., 2019).
It’s not just sexual assault that is commonplace: Of students who said they had been in a relationship while enrolled at school, 10% reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence (Cantor et al, 2019).
Many students experience sexual assault before they enroll in college. A rigorous climate survey at Columbia University found that 26% of female students, 9% of male students, and 47% of gender nonconforming students experienced sexual assault before they arrived on campus (Mellins et al, 2017).

Cantor, D., Fisher, B., Chibnall, S., Harps, S., Townsend, R., Thomas, G., Lee, H., Kranz, V., Herbison, R., & Madden, K. (2019). Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. Association of American Universities. https://www.aau.edu/key-issues/campus-climate-and-safety/aau-campus-climate-survey-2019

Mellins CA, Walsh K, Sarvet AL, Wall M, Gilbert L, Santelli JS, et al. (2017) Sexual assault incidents among college undergraduates: Prevalence and factors associated with risk. PLoS ONE, 12(11): e0186471. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186471

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO VIOLENCE

By 2015, 97% of institutions of higher education in a nationally representative study had developed Title IX policies, but only 61% reported implementing primary prevention programs (Richards, 2016).
A recent analysis of 75 college and university websites found only 17% of institutions in the sample had a link to their Title IX resources from the home page of their website (Dunlap, Klein & Woofter, 2018)
In data collected in 2017 from 35 institutions of higher education, Culture of Respect found 89% of institutions offered an anonymous reporting option, 85% had an institutional amnesty policy, and 60% reported training campus employees at least every other year (Korman & Greenstein, 2018).

Dunlap, J., Klein, L.B., & Woofter, R. (2018). Title IX Online: Accessing Gender-Based Violence Resource Information on Elite College and University Websites. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. DOI: 10.1080/19496591.2018.1421204

Korman, A.T. & Greenstein, E.S. (2018). Institutional Responses to Sexual Violence:What Data From a Culture of Respect Program Tell Us About the State of the Field. Retreived from: https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/CultureofRespectLandscapeReportFINAL.pdf

Richards, T. N. (2016). An updated review of institutions of higher education’s responses to sexual assault: Results from a nationally representative sample. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1177/0886260516658757

INTERSECTIONS OF VIOLENCE WITH RACE, ABILITY, AND SEXUALITY

When a sample of 51 college women were asked to consider a hypothetical date rape scenario, study participants were more likely to blame the victim when she was a Black or Latina woman (Lewis et al, 2018).
According to a recent survey, students with disabilities were victimized at twice the rate of students without a disability (21% vs. 11%; Cantor et al., 2015).
A recent study found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual students perceived campus sexual assault to be a more serious issue than heterosexual students did (Worthen & Wallace, 2017).

Cantor, D., Fisher, B., Chibnall, S., Townsend, R., Lee, H., Bruce, C., & Thomas, G. (2015). Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. Retrieved from: https://www.aau.edu/uploadedFiles/AAU_Publications/AAU_Reports/Sexual_Assault_Campus_Survey/AAU_Campus_Climate_Survey_12_14_15.pdf

Lewis, K.R., Robillard, A., Billings, D. & White, K.(2018). Differential Perceptions of a Hypothetical Sexual Assault Survivor Based on Race and Ethnicity: Exploring Victim Responsibility, Trauma, and Need for Social Support, Journal of American College Health, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1472096

Worthen, M.G.F & Wallace, S.A. (2017). Intersectionality and Perceptions About Sexual Assault Education and Reporting on College Campuses. Family Relations. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/fare.12240

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES ON CAMPUS

A 2014 review of 140 outcome evaluations of sexual violence prevention programs found only 3 demonstrated a significant preventative effect (DeGue et al, 2014).
Looking at a stratified random sample of 150 institutions of higher education, researchers found that just over ⅔ of institutions identified all campus employees as mandated reporters, despite the lack of evidence to support this as a best-practice strategy (Holland, Cortina & Freyd, 2018).

DeGue, S., Valle, L.A., Hold, M.K., Massetti, G.M., Matjasko, J.L., & Tharp, A.T. (2014). A systematic review of primary prevention strategies for sexual violence perpetration. Aggression and Violence Behavior. (19) 4: 346 – 362. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2014.05.004

Holland, K. J., Cortina, L. M., & Freyd, J. J. (2018). Compelled disclosure of college sexual assault. American Psychologist. doi:10.1037/amp0000186Compelled

SOCIAL NORMS THAT SUPPORT VIOLENCE

A meta-analysis of research on rape myth acceptance identified a total of 9 studies that demonstrated rape myth acceptance is correlated with sexual aggression (Suarez + Gadalla, 2010).
In a 2010 research study conducted among first-year students at a large northeastern university, over 53% of students strongly agreed or agreed that: “If a girl acts like a slut, she is eventually going to get into trouble” (McMahon, 2010).
Based on an analysis of men who self-reported sexual violence perpetration behavior before entering college, researchers found men were more likely to perpetrate if they engaged in heavy episodic drinking and held hypermasculine beliefs (Salazar et. al, 2018).

McMahon, S. (2010). Rape Myth Beliefs and Bystander Attitudes Among Incoming College Students. Journal of American College Health. 59 (1). Retrieved from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448481.2010.483715

Salazar, L.F., Swartout, K.M., Swahn, M.H, Bellis, A.L., Carney, J., Vagi, K.J, & Lokey, M.S. (2018). Precollege Sexual Violence Perpetration and Associated Risk and Protective Factors Among Male College Freshmen in Georgia. Journal of Adolescent Health. 62(3): S51-S57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.09.028

Suarez, E., Gadalla, T. (2010). Stop Blaming the Victim: A Meta-Analysis on Rape Myths . Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 25(11), 2010-2035. Retrieved from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0886260509354503

STATISTICS HELP EXPLAIN PATTERNS