Student-Athletes’, Coaches’, and Administrators’ Perspectives of Sexual Violence Prevention on Three Campuses with National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and II Athletic Programs

Abstract

Research has found associations between intercollegiate athletics and risk for sexual violence, and that sexual violence is more pervasive at colleges and universities with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletic programs, relative to NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and no athletic programs. Simultaneously, sports involvement is linked with prosocial values and there are documented developmental benefits of sports participation. College athletic programs hold promise for fostering sexual violence prevention but there is limited knowledge about how student-athletes conceptualize sexual violence and how athletes, coaches, and administrators perceive available prevention and response programs. We conducted seven Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 21 In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) with student-athletes, athletic directors, and coaches from public university Division I ( n = 2) and Division II ( n = 1) campuses. We assessed perceptions of sexual violence, knowledge and opinions of available prevention and response programs, and sought input on how to bridge gaps in campus sexual violence policies. Student-athletes associated sexual violence with alcohol in their relationships with peers and asymmetrical power dynamics in relationships with coaches and faculty. Athletes felt strong connections with teammates and sports programs but isolated from the larger campus. This created barriers to students’ use of services and the likelihood of reporting sexual violence. Athletes felt the mandatory sexual violence prevention training, including additional NCAA components, were ineffective and offered to protect the university and its athletic programs from legal complications or cultural ridicule. Athletic staff were aware of policies and programs for reporting and referring sexual violence cases but their knowledge on how these served students was limited. Student-athletes were uncomfortable disclosing information regarding relationships and sexual violence to coaches and preferred peer–led prevention approaches.

Opening the “Black Box”: Student-Generated Solutions to Improve Sexual Violence Response and Prevention Efforts for Undergraduates on College Campuses

“… 8. Previous work has been published or presented by our UC Speaks Up research team, focusing on how athletes perceive SVSH prevention efforts (Carey et al, 2022) and the importance of including alcohol and drug education in SVSH prevention (Swendeman et al, 2020). …”

Experiences of Interpersonal Violence in Sport and Perceived Coaching Style Among College Athletes

“…The present study builds on this previous work, providing one of the first comprehensive assessments of self-reported experiences with IV in sport by currently competing college athletes while in the middle of their college career. It expands on emerging research among US college athletes that has, until now, primarily focused on the potentially devastating consequences of sexual abuse as a form of IV . Recent research from the Commonwealth Games Federation suggests that athletes who are actively engaged in highly competitive training are in a unique period of their lives .…”

“…Among elite athletes competing at the top of their sport, research suggests that as many as 75% will experience IV at some point during their career, particularly those who identify as being female, having a disability, belonging to historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and having a nonheterosexual sexual orientation . Among youth or adolescent and collegiate athletes, the prevalence of IV has been reported to be upward of 33%, with a substantial proportion of the literature focusing on experiences of sexual abuse as a form of IV …”

Introduction - The Prevention of Sexual Violence in Sport: A Real Game Changer

“…Studies by Carey et al (2022) and Fenn et al (2022) offer important qualitative evidence regarding perceptions of SV prevention and intervention programs from coaches and administrators in college and youth athletics, respectively. Data from colleges and universities indicate that coaches and administrators have good awareness of programs and policies, but little knowledge related to student perceptions of these campus efforts.…”

“…Data from colleges and universities indicate that coaches and administrators have good awareness of programs and policies, but little knowledge related to student perceptions of these campus efforts. Additionally, campus SV prevention activities were largely independent of the campus sport entities (Carey et al, 2022). College-athletes in this same study indicated low levels of comfort in disclosing or seeking support from coaches or campus SV intervention services among those violated, and many felt that sport-based policies and trainings to address SV are largely ineffective.…”