This study examined the roles and lived experiences of SCAs engaged in addressing incidents of campus sexual misconduct at public postsecondary institutions in New York State. The primary research question guiding this study was: What are the roles and lived experiences of SCAs as they manage campus sexual misconduct processes? The secondary…

Health messaging can be a successful tool in encouraging pro-social behavior, such as bystander intervention in sexual violence situations. This dissertation explored the development of a social media message to encourage bystander intervention among college students using multiple theoretical frameworks: social norms approach and bystander…

Bystander intervention has received increased attention as a potential sexual violence prevention strategy, primarily to address campus sexual assault (McMahon et al., 2017). Shifting the focus from potential victims and perpetrators, the bystander approach engages all members of a campus community to act by increasing positive attitudes and…

Sexual violence (SV) is a global public health crisis of pandemic proportions. Sexual harassment (SH) and violence are pervasive on college campuses, negatively impacting students, faculty, and staff. To address this, U.S. universities are required by federal law to implement EBP programs to foster awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and…

The current study examined the impact of a live, virtual training on the combined topics of affirmative consent and bystander intervention among 1,395 students new to the university in 2022. Student responses on pre-survey and post-training surveys were analyzed to determine if attending the intervention promoted students' ability to understand,…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the perceived role of empathy and self-efficacy in college students that have completed a bystander intervention training program and intervened to prevent a potential sexual assault situation at two small private Christian colleges. The theories guiding this study are…

This study investigates the dominant, co-occurring, and antecedent risk factors attributable to closing 12 chapters of Alpha Beta Fraternity between 2010 and 2017. The researcher utilized Yin's (2014) type-two methodology for this qualitative study: A single case design, with an embedded variant to include multiple units of analysis.…

Sexual violence on college campuses is a prevalent issue that has received recent, federal guidance for how colleges should facilitate their student conduct administrative processes. The purpose of this study was to examine student conduct administrators' perspectives, by higher education institution type, on contemporary federal guidance for…

Student-athletes have been identified as an at-risk population for sexual assault victimization and perpetration. While sexual assault prevention has been effective in increasing student-athlete awareness and response to sexual assault, student-athletes are less likely to see the importance of sexual assault prevention compared to non-athletes.…

Sexual violence is a substantial problem on college campuses, particularly for undergraduate women who consistently report higher rates of nonconsensual sexual contact and sexual harassment during their college careers when compared to the general student population. A wide range of mental and behavioral health concerns are associated with sexual…

Underreporting of college sexual assaults remains a problem in the United States. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate which factors, that are commonly identified with the feelings of shame, are associated with college sexual assault reporting. Accordingly, this research aimed to answer the following questions: (1) Which shame…

In 2011 the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights released additional guidance to colleges and universities on how they should handle campus sexual harassment and assault. Since that time institutions of higher education have been under significant pressure to improve their processes. This qualitative study adds to this…

Sexual violence on college campuses is a pervasive problem with the potential for extensive physical and psychological health consequences. Institutions have begun implementing prevention programs; however, more research is needed to understand whether these programs are effective. Bystander intervention programs have increased in popularity…

As social technologies become more integrated into students' lives, new means of communication have emerged, along with novel problem behaviors with significant consequences for students' well-being. One of these is the sending of sexualized images via cell phone, referred to as "sexting." An understanding of how and why some students…

This qualitative, appreciative inquiry study was an examination of bystander intervention as related to sexual assault in the military. The purpose of the study was to examine how military personnel and Department of Defense civilian employees reflecting diverse backgrounds perceived the effectiveness of bystander intervention training and sexual…