The Dirty Dozen: Twelve Risk Factors for Sexual Violence on College Campuses (DD-12)

Abstract

National conversations have focused recently on the need for colleges and universities to better address the dilemma of sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence on U.S. college campuses. Administrators, counselors, law enforcement, prevention advocates, and conduct officers struggle with efforts to prevent and intervene on these cases. A recent federal mandate requires campuses to actively implement comprehensive strategies and programs to address this epidemic of sexual violence. This includes targeted prevention programming to address sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, more commonly referred to as intimate partner violence, and stalking behavior. In the wake of this recent attention, university faculty and staff are faced with the dilemma of better understanding the motivations and risk factors associated with individuals and groups committing these types of attacks. Understanding these risk factors provides administrators, conduct officers, law enforcement, prevention advocates, and counselors with insight into preventative education and better informed policy and procedures to reduce sexual assault in the university setting.

From Furious to Fearless: Faculty Action and Feminist Praxis in Response to Rape Culture on College Campuses

“…The issues are part of a larger culture rife with numerous individual, symbolic, and structural oppressions, and our mission as educators is incomplete if students graduate without understanding systematic social injustices (Collins, ). The slogan and sprinkler incident is one of numerous documented injustices on college campuses (Van Brunt et al, ), and we argue that interdisciplinary faculty activism is critical to confronting and eradicating these injustices.…”

“…Corby also asked why they thought people were upset about the slogan, and their response again focused on themselves by suggesting that if those upset by their actions “took the time to get to know them,” then people might not be so upset. This striking lack of empathy is one of the “dirty dozen” risk factors for sexual violence on college campuses found in the literature (Van Brunt et al, ). We were very disappointed in these responses, which highlighted to us the need for ongoing faculty engagement and further education.…”

“…We are unaware of anyone asking that the offending displays be removed. Inaction by those present tacitly supported violence against women and similar incidents are common occurrences on college campuses (Van Brunt, Murphy, & O'Toole, ), often committed by the most privileged groups on campuses.…”

“…This tactic of diverting attention from masculine violence is common (Cataldi, 1995); it can be seen in the case of Brock Turner, and how he and his father responded to his sentencing. Turner testified that he would begin speaking about the dangers of drinking alcohol and promiscuity in an effort to prevent sexual violence, rather than teach about sexual violence specifically (Stack, 2016).…”

Lights, Camera, Activism: Using a Film Series to Generate Feminist Dialogue About Campus Sexual Violence

“…In August 2015, a fraternity posted signs reading “Freshman [ sic ] daughter drop off” at a different large state university (Samuels, ). Our own university, Texas Tech, was featured in national and international news when a fraternity showcased the slogan “No means yes, yes means anal” at its party (Kingkade, ; Van Brunt, Murphy, & O'Toole, ). These incidents, coupled with the pervasiveness of sexual harassment, discrimination, and sexual assault at U.S. colleges and universities (Cantor et al, ), call attention to the need for critical feminist discourse within higher education.…”