In this chapter, we describe the history of sexual violence as it pertains to postsecondary institutions, focusing on social movements, research, and policy, and their implications for higher education.

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a public health concern for women age 18-25. While much is known about the IPV risk and experiences of heterosexual women, little is known about the IPV risk and experiences of their LGBTQ + counterparts and any contributions of multiple marginalization in such risk. This study examines the…

This paper examines the creation and negotiation of disciplinary culture, through ethnographic fieldwork about socialization in a critical learning environment: scientific fieldwork. Field-based science has received scant research attention relative to its importance as a degree requirement, a professional rite of passage, and a site where sexual…

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is not a recent phenomenon. What is new is the additional increasing threats that millions of women and girls face because of the rapid spread of ICTs and the expansion of social media. Cases of VAWG wherein ICT and social media are used as platforms by cybercriminals can be seen in the news media coverage.…

This paper focusses on our concerns about revelations about sexual harassment in universities and the inadequate responses whereby some universities seem more concerned about their own reputations than the care and protection of their students. Seldom do cases go to criminal court, instead they mostly fall within employment relations policies…

Despite prevention efforts, young women, particularly college students, experience sexual victimization at alarming rates, and do not always receive trauma-responsive treatment to address the devastating acute and long-lasting post-assault symptoms. Grounded in theory and research on trauma and sexual violence, the authors introduce a new…

This case study explores the experiences of nine female-identifying feminist public educators working with Ontario, Canada, sexual assault centres who regularly facilitate discussions about sexual consent and gender-based sexual violence in schools, post-secondary institutions, and community workshops. The educators discuss their experiences of…

The Clery Act was created to provide transparency around campus safety, including sexual assault. This includes making timely warnings to the campus community about safety threats on campus. While all universities are mandated to follow the Clery Act, the legislation does not provide guidance on what language universities should employ, how much…

The Office of Higher Education is required by the Minnesota Legislature to publish the Sexual Assault Data Report, which includes information regarding the outcomes of sexual assault incidents reported to postsecondary institutions. This report provides data for Minnesota colleges for the years 2015-2021. This report also includes discussion of…

Adverse Childhood Experiences are characterized by varying forms of abuse, neglect, and household challenges. Students bring the effects of these traumas into the school and classroom in the form of behavioral, emotional, social, and academic challenges. In 2020, Lake Forest Central Elementary School had a poverty rate of 45%, and a diversity…

Interpersonal violence (IPV) and sexual assault is a prominent issue on college and university campuses across the nation. The rates of violence have increased over the past few decades; recent studies show that 26% of undergraduate women and 7% of undergraduate men experience some form of nonconsensual sexual contact during their time in college…

In this study, the correct classification level of whether forgiving oneself, others and the situation is abusing their partners was determined by logistic regression analysis. There are 221 young adults ranging from 19-30 in this study, which was designed in the scanning model. Heartland Forgiveness Scale and Information Form were used in the…

This exploratory study investigates the expertise of committee members tasked with constructing sexual violence policies within a post-secondary institution (PSI) and the constraints under which they complete this work. Our findings indicate that allocated committees prioritize institutional risk management, normalize confusion, and most members…

Objective: To compare the effect of sexual orientation, history of sexual assault and sense of belonging on depression and suicidality among lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and questioning (LGBQ) and heterosexual students. Participants: A total of 60,194 students from 60 US campuses who participated in the 2017-2018 Healthy Minds Study. Methods:…

Introduction: Compared to their non-disabled peers, individuals with mild intellectual disability (MID) are at higher risk of becoming a victim of sexual abuse and more vulnerable to its disruptive effects. This review provides an overview of content and effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs targeting sexual abuse in individuals…