Presentation Abstract

Faculty's Name: Johnna Pike, Ph.D.

Co-registrant Names:

Type of Presentation: Faculty Research Lightning Round

Presentation Title: "Universities' Sexual Misconduct Policies as a Barrier to Reporting Sexual Violence: A Comparative Analysis"

Abstract:

Sexual violence remains a prevalent problem on college campuses. According to 2020 data, 25.9% of undergraduate females and 6.8% of undergraduate males will experience some form of nonconsensual sexual contact (Cantor 2020). Official data on sexual violence rates are thought to be an underestimation given the known underreporting of these incidents. Despite federal guidelines requiring greater procedural transparency and the expansion of Title IX services at colleges and universities, underreporting persists. The purpose of this preliminary, exploratory study is to compare and contrast sexual misconduct policies at 10 small and medium sized colleges and universities located in the New England region. Prior research has suggested that sexual misconduct policies may act as either an actual or a perceived reporting barrier of students’ willingness to report their sexual victimization. Descriptive data about the sexual misconduct policies was collected from each university’s online resources and compared with emerging evidence of the best practices for responding to sexual violence on college campuses.

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