A qualitative exploration of barriers to university students’ willingness to attend sexual violence prevention workshops

Graham, Katie; Treharne, Gareth J.; Liebergreen, Nicola; Stojanov, Zoran; Shaw, Rachel; Beres, Melanie

doi:10.1080/14681811.2020.1772225

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Once participants overcame the login hurdle, they reported that the modules layout was easy to navigate and the ability to track, save, and resume Participants in the present study also highlighted environmental and situational factors such as being too busy, already knowing about sexual harm, or not perceiving the modules as personally relevant could impact completion of the modules. These findings are consistent with Graham et al (2020) which found that students were less likely to attend sexual harm workshops if they perceived modules as relevant for others but not themselves. Framing sexual harm as a community issue rather than a personal problem has been reported to be effective in alleviating some of the negative connotations associated with engagement in sexual harm preventions and can increase student participation as they perceive themselves as allies (Banyard et al, 2004;Graham et al, 2020).…”

Section: Factors Influencing Completionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…These findings are consistent with Graham et al (2020) which found that students were less likely to attend sexual harm workshops if they perceived modules as relevant for others but not themselves. Framing sexual harm as a community issue rather than a personal problem has been reported to be effective in alleviating some of the negative connotations associated with engagement in sexual harm preventions and can increase student participation as they perceive themselves as allies (Banyard et al, 2004;Graham et al, 2020). This finding is consistent with the present study, whereby some completers suggested that although they perceived the modules as not personally relevant and/or they already knew everything covered in the modules, they completed these for altruistic reasons.…”

Section: Factors Influencing Completionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…These findings may suggest that framing interventions as a collective effort may be helpful for increasing participation and completion of the RRM (Banyard et al, 2004). Perceiving interventions as repeating information that students already know has been identified as a barrier to attending sexual harm workshops more broadly (Graham et al, 2020). New Zealand first-year university students feel more confident in their knowledge of sexual harm earlier in the year, which then decreases after completing bystander education (Stojanov et al, 2021).…”

Section: Factors Influencing Completionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This shift has in part been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic (Ghidei et al, 2022) and limitations associated with in-person interventions which can be "resource intensive and limited in their reach and sustainability" (Salazar et al, 2014, p. 2). In addition, timing, location, campus accessibility, individual's openness to engage honestly in front of peers, the stigma associated with participation, the belief that sexual violence is not personally relevant, and believing there is nothing new to learn, have been reported as barriers to engagement with in-person interventions (Graham et al, 2020;Hubach et al, 2019;Myers, 2021;Stojanov et al, 2021;). As a result, a number of universities have introduced web-based psychoeducation interventions to overcome these barriers (Zapp et al, 2021).…”

Section: In Person Vs Web-based Delivery Of Psychoeducation Programme...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While we cannot draw inferences for non-completers more broadly from the views of two people, the findings may suggest that when students are made aware that sexual harm is a community-level issue they may be more inclined to perceive engaging in the modules as preventing sexual harm more broadly. In turn, individuals who recognise the collective action of interventions' may be more likely to complete sexual harm interventions compared with those who perceived sexual harm as an individual issue (Banyard et al, 2004;Camp et al, 2018;Graham et al, 2020;Powell & Henry 2014). Moreover, research indicates that students who perceive sexual harm as not being the university's problem are less likely to engage in sexual harm prevention initiatives like the RRM (Camp et al, 2018).…”

Section: Factors Influencing Completionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Barriers and Facilitators to Engaging with Online Sexual Harm Prevention Programmes: Understanding University Students’ Experiences and Perceptions Towards Te Herenga Waka- Victoria University of Wellington’s Respectful Relationships Modules

Wilson

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<p><strong>Sexual harm has significant financial, social, psychological, and physical health implications for individuals and society. University students are at an increased risk of sexual harm victimisation, relative to the general population. In 2021, the New Zealand Ministry of Education introduced the Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners Code of Practice, which requires universities to respond to issues impacting students’ wellbeing, including sexual harm. In response to this, universities have implemented various policies and practices including psychoeducation programmes, to reduce sexual harm in the higher education community. Although the benefits of psychoeducation more broadly have been established, there has been a lack of research examining university students’ experiences and perceptions towards online sexual violence prevention programmes. The present study aims to qualitatively examine students’ experiences and perceptions of the Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington Respectful Relationships Modules (RRM). Focus group were conducted with 12 students (10 who completed the modules, and two who did not), to understand their experiences of the RRM and factors that influenced their decision to complete/not complete the modules. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes were developed that described students’ experiences and perceptions of the RRM. The findings highlight the effects of adopting gender-inclusive language on creating a culture of inclusivity and disclosure on campus. Findings indicate the importance of effective advertising, an easy login process, flexible and interactive content, and the influence of personal motivations and perceived prior knowledge on completion of the RRM. While the existing content of the RRM was considered valuable, several suggestions were made about how to improve these to meet the current needs of students. Implications of the findings for improving sexual violence psychoeducation in New Zealand universities are discussed.</strong></p>

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Section: Factors Influencing Completionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Factors Influencing Completionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Factors Influencing Completionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: In Person Vs Web-based Delivery Of Psychoeducation Programme...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Factors Influencing Completionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Barriers and Facilitators to Engaging with Online Sexual Harm Prevention Programmes: Understanding University Students’ Experiences and Perceptions Towards Te Herenga Waka- Victoria University of Wellington’s Respectful Relationships Modules

Wilson

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They Were the Best and the Worst of Times: Reflections Illuminate Emerging Adults’ Sexual Experiences

et al. 2023

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Introduction Human sexuality courses are offered at most universities. Students often bring a breadth of experiences and a need for emotional processing of these narratives into these courses as it relates to course content. The purpose of this study was to expand research exploring emerging adults’ sexuality narratives to be inclusive of positive stories. Methods Guided by a semi-structured questionnaire, 113 students from two USA universities reflected in 2017 on their sexual history using an established educational activity asking students about their “best” and “worst” sexual experiences. Results Qualitative analysis resulted in five themes describing their “Best” and four themes describing their “Worst” sexual experiences and one theme with dual meaning. “Best of” was highlighted by student themes of romance, beyond intercourse, emotional intimacy, listening, and safety. “Worst of” was highlighted by themes of physical health factors, alcohol and/or substance use/misuse factors, exploitation and victimization, and feelings of shame. The dual meaning theme of firsts emerged in both best of and worst of. Conclusions Findings suggest that human sexuality courses must consider students’ lived experiences. Further, we propose a call-to-action for clinically trained mental health professionals, such as social workers, as sexuality educators. Policy Implications Universities should incorporate sexual health education policies that acknowledge students who bring a collection of sexuality stories to learning spaces. Centering a student’s sexual voice also would support campus programs, policies, and interventions that benefit students. Finally, policies that guide professional accreditation of social work university programs to include sexual wellness content in the curricula are warranted.

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Campus Sexual Assault: A Qualitative Review and Meta-Synthesis of Students’ Experiences of Campus Prevention Initiatives

McQueen,

Murphy-Oikonen,

Hamm

2024

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

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Sexual violence is a worldwide issue that impacts many individuals, often with serious and long-lasting effects. Students represent a high-risk group for sexual violence on campuses. As a result, various government initiatives have called for Universities and Colleges to develop policies and sexual violence prevention initiatives. However, much of the focus has been on the effect of the initiatives with less attention to students’ experiences. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative systematic review with meta-synthesis was to critically appraise and synthesize the evidence (e.g., themes) regarding students’ experiences with campus sexual assault prevention initiatives. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines were followed. Six databases were systematically searched, which yielded 2,090 papers. This resulted in 21 published papers meeting the inclusion criteria of a primary, English language, qualitative or mixed-methods study exploring students’ experiences of campus sexual assault initiatives. Two researchers independently extracted data and completed quality appraisals. The meta-synthesis identified four synthesized findings: (1) dichotomous perceptions of sexual violence initiatives, (2) the need for enhanced awareness, (3) modality matters, and (4) intended and unintended outcomes. Overall, these findings suggest that students valued the attention to the issue of sexual violence; however, they identified concerns that warrant attention. This has important implications for program and policy development as having programs that meet students’ needs may result in enhanced student engagement which may, in turn, lead to increased efficacy. Moreover, initiatives that may result in harm to survivors require careful consideration.

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A qualitative exploration of barriers to university students’ willingness to attend sexual violence prevention workshops

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Barriers and Facilitators to Engaging with Online Sexual Harm Prevention Programmes: Understanding University Students’ Experiences and Perceptions Towards Te Herenga Waka- Victoria University of Wellington’s Respectful Relationships Modules

Barriers and Facilitators to Engaging with Online Sexual Harm Prevention Programmes: Understanding University Students’ Experiences and Perceptions Towards Te Herenga Waka- Victoria University of Wellington’s Respectful Relationships Modules

They Were the Best and the Worst of Times: Reflections Illuminate Emerging Adults’ Sexual Experiences

Campus Sexual Assault: A Qualitative Review and Meta-Synthesis of Students’ Experiences of Campus Prevention Initiatives

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