More than 17,000 professional staff live where they work in Residence Life and Housing (RL&H). Those staff members live in the dorms with the college students whom they serve, as has been the arrangement of RL&H staff members since the inception of colleges in the U.S. in the 1600s. However, there have been recent shifts in the ways in which students interact with those who oversee the dorms, leading to elevated instances of backlash, especially toward women. This study is a phenomenological study of 15 women who have experience living where they work and who have experienced instances of student backlash related to their performance of job-related duties. Interviews focused on experiences with backlash, perceptions of safety, perception of the field of RL&H, and ways in which these women received support. Patterns emerged from analysis of interviews, including the following: instances of backlash were perpetrated mostly by men; women experiencing a lack of support usually subsequently left the field; and, women noticed substantial changes in their sense of safety as a result of experiencing student backlash. Out of this analysis, this dissertation study concludes with a set of recommendations for future researchers and shares feedback from study participants regarding how institutions of higher education could better support the staff who live on campus. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]