Background: Alcohol-related sexual assault is a pressing health concern on U.S. college campuses. The unrelenting prevalence of campus sexual assault has led to a greater focus on how to empower college women to resist unwanted sexual advances within alcohol-infused contexts. Alcohol-aggression expectancies have emerged as one potential barrier to…

Rape culture has roots in our gendered history of the United States which manifests itself on college campuses as well. Attending college has been found to be the riskiest time for women in terms of sexual assault, as up to 1 in 4 women may experience some type of sexual assault or attempt during their collegiate years. This study explored how one…

Sexual assault on college campuses was the public health and safety problem addressed in this study which sought to determine if intervention and prevention program type affected rates of sexual assault on Tier I and Tier II universities in Texas. Female students, educated on the dangers of being victim to the criminality of sexual assault, were…

Existing literature suggests that the pervasive issue of institutional betrayal--the failure to prevent sexual assault or respond supportively when it occurs that exacerbates distressing mental health symptoms--is a factor in one's ability to cope with the trauma of the assault. This study investigated female undergraduate students' experiences of…

This study sought to understand the experience of college survivors of sexual assault during the 'me too.' movement through the use of phenomenological qualitative interviews. Sixteen women between the ages of 18 and 21 were interviewed using a constructivist approach with a critical-ideological framework. Participants' experiences were organized…

The present preliminary study is aimed at finding the interconnection between maladaptive personality characteristics, sexually aggressive behaviors, and rape myth endorsement in a sample comprised of college men. Sexual violence is particularly rampant in the college venue, therefore, understanding more about the risk factors associated with…

This dissertation study is an examination of the relationship among rape culture, hookup culture, and social structure (i.e. regular and patterned forms of interaction over time which crystalize ideological constructs and channel behavior in specific ways). Since few efforts have examined female-on-female rape myth acceptance, I first explore…

College women face high rates of sexual violence and rarely report their experiences to school officials. Even when victims do report, their cases infrequently result in the expulsion of their perpetrators. As such, many college women continue to attend school with their perpetrators in the months and years following their assaults. No academic…

Sexual violence is an issue every college in America must work to prevent. Critical race scholars such as Derrick Bell may argue sexual violence can be viewed through a lens of race because racism is ordinary and not aberrational (Crewe, 2021). Historical context can affect the perceptions racialized groups or populations have when discussing…

Sexual violence on college campuses is a significant concern, with research indicating that approximately one-third of female students and one-tenth of male students may experience it during their college years. The risk is higher for college women nationwide, and the impact on physical and mental health is substantial. Studies often highlight…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine college cis-women's experiences with gender microaggressions and perceptions of campus climate, institutional betrayal, and institutional courage, how those experiences and perceptions are related, and how each predicts college students' likelihood of reporting sexual assault to the University.…

The dialogue around violence against women has gone from a private matter to a national audience, primarily due to the sexual violence on college campuses and a recognition that it is part of a comprehensive system of power that affects all women. Researchers have shown that sexual violence is a significant issue on college campuses and there are…

Gender based violence is experienced at higher rates on college campuses than in other communities. One in five women experience acquaintance rape during their academic career and less than 5% of college women who have experienced sexual assault report their victimization (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000). Recent federal guidance is meant to…

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…

There is a significant body of literature highlighting the impact of unwanted sexual experiences (USEs) on undergraduate health, disproportionately affecting female students compared to their male counterparts. Although we know much about the negative consequences of this concerning social and public health issue, we know little about survivor's…