The most common point of intervention within campus sexual assault programming is that of combatting frequently held myths about rape. These rape myths are often assessed through self-report scales and are thus subjected to concerns of social-desirability and blind-spot bias. Research suggests individuals misperceive the beliefs of others,…

Sexual assault has significant physical and psychological impacts on victims but remains underreported, especially in higher learning institutions. The primary aim of this study was to examine college and university students' knowledge and attitudes towards sexual assault disclosure protocols and procedures in the institutions. Students' knowledge…

Heteronormativity posits the superiority of heterosexuality and heterosexually-based norms over all other forms of sexual or gender expression, and heteronormative beliefs have been shown to affect how individuals view sexuality and gender. The concept of gender transition inherently goes against the ideals of heteronormativity. The current study…

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 beginning of college campus life is one of the most exciting phases of student life. However, for some students, it might pose a threat in the form of sexual violence. In the United States, sexual violence is highly pervasive, placing college students at a greater risk of victimization. Currently, there is a lack of data on sexual crimes…

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 purpose of this study was to examine whether scores of attitudes based on labels as measured by the Attitudes Toward Prostitutes and Prostitutions Scale (APPS) and the Attitudes Toward Trafficked Women and Sex Trafficking Scale (ATTS) and counselor attributes predicted scores of empathy on the Empathy Assessment Index (EAI) and scores of rape…

While studies have shown a consistent association between athlete status and risk-taking behavior (RTB), comparatively little is known about the mechanisms that potentially account for the influence of athletic participation on RTBs. The current study tests a theoretical model linking sensation seeking to RTBs through the perception of risk and…

This study investigated the perceptions and attitudes students have regarding their decision to participate or not as witnesses in a southwest United States private university gender-based violence adjudication process. The study also investigated whether there was a relationship between students' decisions to participate and their gender, age,…

The prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses is well documented with findings revealing both men and women experience victimization. Sexual assault often results in physical and mental issues, poor academic performance, and financial burdens for victims, families, and society. Traditional prevention efforts to reduce sexual violence…

While research makes clear that individuals' gender, racial, and sexual identities and their intersections impact experiences of and responses to sexual and gender-based violence, the literature on college sexual assault prevention programs reflects an overwhelming absence of this type of identity-based program content. This Interpretative…

The present study attempted to accurately measure crimes that occur on a college campus and whether students' perceptions of police influenced their decisions to report their victimization. A specific emphasis was placed on sexual assaults. Previous research has examined the reporting of sexual assault (Bachman, 1998; Sampson, 2002), sexual…

This dissertation is structured as a critical policy analysis employing historical methods. It examines how the post apartheid government's economic growth and development polices have informed the higher education system and how this has changed women's financial, occupational, political, social, and educational prospects in South Africa. Through…