Examining Responsible Employees’ Perceptions of Sexual Assault Reporting Requirements Under Federal and Institutional Policy 

Abstract

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem on college campuses. Federal laws have shaped policies addressing sexual assault in higher education. Title IX guidance requires universities to designate "Responsible Employees," who are required to report all sexual assaults they learn about to the university (even if the survivor does not want to report). Resident assistants (RAs) are an important source of support for students and increasingly designated as Responsible Employees. University mandatory reporting policies have significant implications for reporters' and survivors' lives, but there is a lack of research on how Responsible Employees perceive this role. The current study examined Responsible Employee RA perceptions of mandatory reporting, the relationship between RAs' experience of college sexual assault and perceptions of mandatory reporting, and whether trust in university response to sexual assault mediates this relationship. Data from 305 Responsible Employee RAs were analyzed. RAs' perceptions of their reporting role were varied. For instance, RAs believed that mandatory reporting complicates their other responsibilities. College sexual assault survivors had less trust in university response to sexual assault, which, in turn, predicted more negative perceptions of

“A victim/survivor needs agency”: Sexual assault survivors’ perceptions of university mandatory reporting policies

“…In our study, participants who knew more about the university's policy tended to know that RAs were required to report and learned this from their RA. This finding is not entirely surprising, as RAs are increasingly designated as mandatory reporters and expected and trained to respond to sexual assault disclosures consistent with this role (Holland, 2019; Holland & Cortina, 2017; Letarte, 2014). Our findings highlight the important role that RAs can play in informing students about mandatory reporting policies—and their role within it—but also raise concerns about knowledge equity on campus (e.g., not all students live in university housing).…”

“…Second, while it is beneficial to understand survivors’ perceptions of mandatory reporting policies, our qualitative data did not allow us to test broader questions about how and why survivors’ preferences for different policy approaches may differ. For instance, evidence suggests that trust in institutional response to sexual assault reports is a strong predictor of support for mandatory reporting (Holland, 2019). Entrenched institutional racism, heterosexism, and cissexism can have a significant impact on institutional trust for students of color and sexual and gender minority students (Brubaker et al., 2017).…”

Universal mandatory reporting policies show null effects in a statewide college sample.

“…Additionally, victim-survivors and university personnel who work with victim-survivors in supportive roles (e.g., victim advocates, student services) prefer reporting policy approaches that limit the number of employees designated as mandated reporters and provide survivors with more agency regarding what happens with the information that they have disclosed to employees (e.g., whether a report will be made; Holland, Cipriano, & Huit, 2021; Holland et al, 2020). Such policies also raise ethical concerns and job complications for employees who establish trusting relationships with students (e.g., faculty members, resident assistants; Holland, 2019; Newins, 2019).…”

Sexual Harassment in the Academy: Harnessing the Growing Labor Movement in Higher Education to Address Sexual Harassment Against Graduate Workers

“…Once incidents are reported, special campus offices (usually called Title IX or the Campus Equity/ Diversity Office) investigate claims and issue findings. Responsible employees, particularly if they are sexual assault survivors themselves, report negative perceptions of mandatory reporting policies and that it often conflicts with their other job responsibilities (Holland, 2019). Graduate workers are situated in a uniquely impossible position; they are considered mandatory reporters in the job title they hold (e.g., teaching assistant) but also work for an employer who is a mandated reporter should a graduate worker choose to disclose sexual misconduct perpetrated against them to their academic mentors and/or workplace supervisors (Gerdsen & Walker, 2019).…”