Sexual violence reproduces inequalities of gender, race/ethnicity, class, age, sexuality, ability status, citizenship status, and nationality. Yet its study has been relegated to the margins of our discipline, with consequences for knowledge about the reproduction of social inequality. We begin with an overview of key insights about sexual violence elaborated by feminists, critical race scholars, and activists. This research leads us to conceptualize sexual violence as a mechanism of inequality that is made more effective by the silencing of its usage. We trace legal and cultural contestations over the definition of sexual violence in the United States. We consider the challenges of narrating sexual violence and review how the narrow focus on gender by some anti–sexual violence activism fails women of color and other marginalized groups. We conclude by interrogating the sociological silence on sexual violence.
How did instructors design their sociology courses for remote teaching during the 2020–2021 academic year, and what challenges did they face in teaching those courses? To answer these questions, we surveyed lead instructors and graduate teaching assistants (n = 77) in the Sociology Department at the University of Michigan, supplemented by interviews with students and our experiences as remote course consultants. Through this case study, we found that instructors cited increased workload and lack of connection as challenges with remote teaching, in addition to pandemic-related struggles. Most instructors reported using either synchronous or a mix of synchronous and asynchronous instruction in course design, incorporating both formative and summative assessments, and implementing communication and community-building strategies to establish connections with and among students. We argue that these challenges and course designs highlight the importance of care-informed pedagogy to not only remote teaching in 2020–2021 but also sociology instruction in general.
To reduce campus sexual violence, administrators must work with faculty experts in structural inequalities to develop, implement, evaluate, and share structural-level policy interventions.
Statement of purposeCampus sexual assault is a significant public health issue, given its alarming prevalence and association with adverse physical, psychological, and economic outcomes. While many school-based sexual assault prevention intervention programs currently exist, few have strong empirical support in college settings. Consequently, there is a pressing need for formative research with undergraduate students to shape the development of relevant and effective, multi-pronged approaches for preventing sexual assault on college campuses.MethodsFull-time undergraduate sophomores at the University of Michigan were recruited via two registrar emails and campus flyers to participate in audio-recorded, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews (n=19) in June-November 2016. Participants were asked to provide feedback about desirable characteristics of sexual assault prevention programming, including intervention content, program format, and delivery mechanism. Interview audio files were transcribed and codes were generated using thematic analysis. Two trained Research Assistants (RAs) independently coded each theme using NVivo 11. Inter-coder reliability was assessed and coding discrepancies were resolved by a third coder.ResultsParticipant demographics (52.6% male, 57.96% White/Not Hispanic) resemble campus enrollment statistics. Further, 68.4% of participants reported lifetime sexual activity, and 42.1% were Greek Life-affiliated. Preliminary findings suggest that peer-based programming administered in-person to individuals or small, mixed-gender groups of unfamiliar students is more acceptable to undergraduates than other intervention formats (e.g., delivered in classes). Participants emphasised the importance of a forum where students can talk openly and seriously about sexual assault. Peer survivor testimonies and skits were mentioned as potentially effective ways to deliver content.Conclusions/SignificanceAs part of their sexual assault prevention education, college students welcome opportunities for discussions led by relatable peers who understand the dynamics of campus life. Our findings warrant future studies examining the effectiveness of campus-based, discussion-oriented sexual assault prevention intervention programs.
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