Prevalence and predictors of sexual assault among a college sample

Abstract

Objective This study examined the prevalence and correlates of sexual assault (SA) pre-college, college onset, and repeat SA within a representative student sample. Participants A representative sample of 7,603 students. Methods Incoming first year students completed a survey about their exposure to broad SA prior to college, prior trauma, personality, relationships, and mental health. Broad SA was then re-assessed each spring semester while enrolled. Results Nearly 20% of the sample reported experiencing broad SA, with women endorsing significantly higher rates compared to males. Prior victimization before coming to college was related to a greater risk of victimization in college and there was no statistically significant difference between males and females who reported revictimization. Correlates of college onset broad SA were found and are discussed. Conclusions Given the need for SA intervention and prevention on college campuses, identification of factors potentially contributing to exposure within this population is essential.

Effects of social support on the association between precollege sexual assault and college-onset victimization

“…Consistent with previous research using the S4S sample (Conley et al 43 ), pre-college SA significantly predicted college-onset SA. This finding is consistent with a preponderance of literature suggesting that prior history of sexual assault is a strong predictor of subsequent sexual assaults 9 , particularly among college samples 11,12 .…”

“…Therefore, only individuals enrolled during the fall semester were included in the present analyses (N=6,132). Given that previous research using S4S data (e.g., Conley et al 44 ) has demonstrated high rates (around 20%) of SA, as well as a positive association between pre-college SA and college-onset SA, we sought to extend these findings to include potential factors that may explain this previously identified association. Additionally, the sample was representative of the broader university student population in terms of both gender and race/ethnicity.…”

“…Examination of these putative pathways could inform valuable prevention and intervention strategies, including federally mandated programs emphasizing prosocial behavior, that could decrease rates of SA revictimization within college populations. Thus, the first aim of the present study was to explore whether the previously identified relationship between pre-college SA and college-onset SA within this sample (as described in Conley et al 43 ) was moderated by perceived social support. It was hypothesized that social support would moderate the relationship between pre-college SA and college-onset victimization, such that higher levels of social support would weaken the relationship between pre-college SA and college-onset SA.…”

Prior Sexual Victimization and Disclosure of Campus Sexual Violence Among College Students

“…Several researchers have confirmed the finding that students who were subjected to sexual violence in childhood or adolescence are more likely to experience sexual violence in college (Conley et al, 2017;Gidycz et al, 1993;Martin et al, 2011;Smith et al, 2003). Because most studies of campus sexual violence focus on college women, who are more likely than their male peers to be raped or assaulted (Cantor et al, 2015;Krebs et al, 2007Krebs et al, , 2016Smith-Marek et al, 2015), estimates of prior sexual victimization among college students generally describe women's experiences.…”

#SportToo: Implications of and Best Practice for the #MeToo Movement in Sport

“…The rate of sexual assaults on campuses has remained relatively unchanged over the past 20 years (Fedina, Holmes, & Backes, 2016). Conley et al (2017) asserted that sexual assault is the most common form of violence on college campuses, yet only about 12% are sexual assaults are reported (Coray, 2016). One in nine girls and one in 53 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault at the hands of an adult and females ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault (Finkelhor, Shattuck, Turner, & Hamby, 2014).…”