“It Happens to Girls All the Time”: Examining Sexual Assault Survivors’ Reasons for Not Using Campus Supports

Abstract

Sexual assault is a prevalent problem in higher education, and despite the increasing availability of formal supports on college campuses, few sexual assault survivors use them. Experiencing sexual assault can have devastating consequences on survivors' psychological and educational wellbeing, which may intensify if survivors do not receive adequate care. Drawing from existing theoretical frameworks and empirical research, this study used a mixed methodological approach to examine why survivors did not use three key campus supports-the Title IX Office, the sexual assault center, and housing staff-and if these reasons differed across the three supports. Using data from 284 women who experienced sexual assault in college, our qualitative findings identified four overarching themes, including logistical issues (e.g., lacking time and knowledge), feelings, beliefs, and responses that made it seem unacceptable to use campus supports, judgments about the appropriateness of the support, and alternative methods of coping. Quantitative findings revealed that survivors' reasons for not seeking help differed across supports. Collectively, our findings suggest that community norms and institutional policies can make it challenging for survivors to use campus supports. We propose several suggestions for institutional change (e.g., taking a stronger stance against "less serious" forms of sexual assault, reducing a quasi-criminal justice approach to investigation and adjudication, limiting mandated reporting).

Law, campus policy, social movements, and sexual violence: Where do we stand in the #MeToomovement?

“…The formal pathway usually begins when a survivor reports to campus police, the Title IX office, or the dean of students' office. Schools then adopt a criminal justice‐like approach, where the accuser is the “complainant” and the accused is the “respondent” (Cantalupo, ; Holland & Cortina, ). Social movement groups have hotly debated the appropriate standard of evidence in these adjudications; Table shows how the Obama administration mandated the preponderance of evidence standard, while the Trump administration allowed for the use of the higher standard of clear and convincing evidence.…”

“…Many campuses have confidential resources, but they vary in whether they are health‐ or survivor‐specific services. Some campuses have sexual assault centers, which “place survivors' needs and interests at the very center of their mission” (Holland & Cortina, , p. 51). Campus victim advocates work for such centers and do work similar to rape crisis advocates in the community; they can provide therapy services and attend all steps of the formal reporting pathway.…”

“…Campus sexual violence policies shape whether and how survivors report sexual assault. Few students use the formal pathway, citing such reasons as “thinking it is not serious enough to report, fearing negative consequences,” feeling ashamed, or lacking the resources to pursue a case against a wealthier student (Cantor et al, ; Holland & Cortina, , p. 62; Khan, Hirsch, Wambold, & Mellins, ). Students also report multiple difficulties navigating the adjudication process, including intensified mental health challenges (Khan et al, ).…”

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

“…Unfortunately, survivors of sexual assault and IPV frequently face negative treatment from formal support systems, which can lead to secondary victimization: feeling blamed and retraumatized (Campbell, 2008). Fear of negative consequences is a top reason that college sexual assault survivors do not report assaults to law enforcement or university officials (e.g., Fisher, Daigle, Cullen, & Turner, 2003;Holland & Cortina, 2017b;Thompson, Sitterle, Clay, & Kingree, 2007). In recent years, student activists have brought national attention to university mistreatment of survivors who attempt to report sexual assault (see, e.g., The Hunting Ground documentary; Ziering & Dick, 2015).…”

Public health nursing and the issue of trust in campus sexual assault

“…Holland and Cortina () examined survivors’ reasons for not using campus services. They found over‐arching themes that were cited as reasons for students for not utilizing available resources such as logistical issues, which includes: lack of time or knowledge, feelings, or beliefs that made it unacceptable to use resources, judgments about the appropriateness of the support, affordability, and using alternate methods of coping.…”