Sexual Violence Among Gender and Sexual Minority College Students: The Risk and Extent of Victimization and Related Health and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

A multisite survey conducted at eight campuses of a southwestern university system provides the data for the present study, total N = 17,039 with 1,869 gender and sexual minority (GSM) students. Sexual violence was measured using the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES), and analysis included both the participant’s risk of experiencing sexual violence and the extent (or total count) of sexual violence experienced. This study poses the following research questions: What effects do gender identity and sexual orientation have on the risk and extent of sexual violence among students and, among victims, what is the relationship between gender identity/sexual orientation and mental health (posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression) and academic environment (disengagement and safety) outcomes for university students? Multilevel, random effect hurdle models captured this sequential victimization dynamic. GSM and cisgender heterosexual (CH) female students are predicted to be 2.6 and 3 times, respectively, as likely to experience sexual violence compared with CH male students. In addition, GSM students experiencing sexual violence are also expected to experience a greater number of sexually violent acts (74% more) over their college career compared with victimized CH male students. The models confirm that the risk of victimization increases over time (13% per year for CH male students), but GSM students are expected to experience an additional (10%) increase in risk of victimization per year compared with CH male students. GSM and CH female students are also predicted to be more likely to have PTSD and experience more severe depression symptoms than CH male students. GSM students are expected to experience significantly higher rates of PTSD, worse depressive symptoms, and greater disengagement than CH female students. The discussion explores how institutions of higher education might recognize the resilience of GSM students and consider the protective potential of social and community support when developing programs or interventions for diverse populations.

The promise of an intersectoral network in enhancing the response to transgender survivors of sexual assault

“…The sexual assault of trans persons is an insidious problem, with trans persons experiencing high rates of victimization and serious psychosocial and health consequences that no single discipline or sector has the training or resources to address [4,6,8,9,11]. Our study further lays the foundation for an Ontario-wide intersectoral network of healthcare and community organizations that holds the potential to substantially enhance the response to trans survivors of sexual assault [24,25].…”

“…In the recent cross-Canada Trans-PULSE survey, 26% of trans persons reported having been sexually assaulted in the previous five years [10]. Trans persons also experience high rates of poly-victimization and revictimization [2,9,11].…”

“…Experiences of sexual assault can have lasting impacts on the wellbeing of trans persons, contributing to physical health problems, including chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome; mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and suicidality; and social isolation [9,11]. For example, FORGE found that among trans survivors of sexual violence, 14% reported having experienced physical scarring as a result of their victimization, 10% long-term medical conditions, and 4% disabilities [9].…”

Sexual Harassment Among Medical Students: Prevalence, Prediction, and Correlated Outcomes

“…The extent of harassment was operationalized by calculating the sum of sexually harassing behaviors endured across all items separately for each scale (faculty/staff and peer, respectively) and for both scales combined (total). We described the study methodology and reported findings about the risk and extent of sexual violence and sexual harassment endured by students at academic institutions (Busch-Armendariz et al, 2017a; Kammer-Kerwick et al, 2019; Wood et al, 2018). We intentionally used extent instead of severity due to the subjective appraisal of severity (Cortina et al, 2002; Wright & Fitzgerald, 2007).…”

“This Isn't Just a Police Issue”: Tensions between Criminal Justice and University Responses to Sexual Assault among College Students

“…College students in the United States are at high risk of experiencing sexual violence, with estimated prevalence rates of sexual assault since enrolling in college ranging from 14.2% to 23.1% among college women (Muehlenhard, Peterson, Humphreys, & Jozkowski, 2017). Gender and sexual minority students are at even higher risk for sexual assault; though the relative risk varies, gender and sexual minority students are up to approximately four times as likely to be victimized as their cisgender, heterosexual peers (Coulter et al, 2017; Kammer‐Kerwick et al, 2019). In addition to the negative psychological and physical consequences associated with experiencing sexual violence (e.g., Black, 2011), college survivors face negative academic consequences such as decreases in performance, higher stress, and greater likelihood of dropping classes or changing residences than non‐victimized peers (Banyard et al, 2017; Jordan, Combs, & Smith, 2014; Krebs et al, 2016).…”