Tag Archives: research

Where Do Students Stand on Campus Policies?  Findings From Our National Study of Student Activists

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SAFER believes that a strong, comprehensive campus sexual assault policy is a key tool in the achievement of primary prevention programs and sustainable institutional change, and it is our mission is to provide students with the resources and support as they embark on reforming their campus policy. Yet, findings from our recently released research study, Moving Beyond Blue Lights and Buddy Systems: A National Study of Student Anti-Rape Activists, indicate that many of the over 500 student activists we surveyed shy away from addressing campus policy.

Although almost three-quarters of student activists surveyed (74.1%) believe that campus policy is “one of the key tools” in addressing rape/sexual assault, less than a fifth (19.4%) reported actually working to reform campus policy. The two most common reasons activists were not engaging in policy – each given by approximately a third of students – were not knowing how to reform policy (32.1%) and being busy addressing rape/sexual assault in other ways (33.7%).

To learn more about students’ experiences with campus policy, we held focus groups with student activists working on sexual assault issues. A number of these students explained why reforming campus policy is not among their top priorities, “it’s that the immediacy of the issue at hand, and I just feel like the policy will have to come later because [we need to focus on] what’s happening now, who may be potentially assaulted this weekend or tonight.”  Students focused on the immediate needs of prevention and responding to survivors.  They were understandably most interested in taking actions that can help at that very moment.  While reforming policy may take time, it also has great potential to ensure both prevention and survivor services. It appears that the prevention possibilities of campus policy are not readily apparent and that students may not recognize how policy can institutionalize specific crisis response services. We at SAFER are now working on ways to illustrate the powerful potential of policy as tools for prevention and survivor support.

Nevertheless, a small portion (19.4%) of students in our survey had worked to reform their campus policy.  They reported utilizing a number of techniques; most (55.2%) advocated with their administration, more than a third (37.9%) involved other members of the campus community, and almost a quarter (24.1%) served on official campus policy review/revision committees.  Less common tactics included generating negative publicity about policy (e.g., writing an article for student newspaper) (17.2%), providing revised policy language without official standing (10.3%), engaging in direct actions (e.g. sit-ins, rallies) (8.6%), assessing school’s policy (8.6%), researching other school’s policies (8.6%), and seeking help from off-campus organizations (6.9%).

Regardless of whether or not they worked on campus policy reform, many student activists were dissatisfied with their school’s sexual assault policy. In fact, when asked to assign a grade to their campus policy, only one in ten students (9.8%) gave it an “A.” Students in our focus groups described not only limitations of the policy itself, but also a lack of sufficient implementation of the policy. Students clearly wonder about the ability of campus policy to make a difference.  As one student explained, “what frustrates me at my school is that we’ve had people expelled for cheating, but nobody has ever been expelled for rape.” These students identified a disconnect between policy and practice that is all too common in many of our colleges and universities.

At SAFER, we know that strong campus policies are an integral part of a sustainable approach to addressing sexual violence.  But, we also know that policies are only as effective as their implementation.  We urge student activists not only to reform their policies when necessary, but also to ensure that the policies continue to be enforced and implemented at the institutional level.   We can provide resources and support to students working to hold their schools accountable to the law and their own policy.

FAST FACT: Over a quarter of student activists (25.7%) did not know if their school has a policy addressing rape or sexual assault.

If you missed them, check out our introductory blog about this study and our earlier blogs about students’ activities and their reports of their school’s efforts to address campus sexual assault.

You can also read the full summary report of Moving Beyond Blue Lights and Buddy Systems: A National Study of Student Anti-Rape. For more information about the study, contact me, Emily Greytak, PhD, SAFER’s Evaluation Coordinator at .

Lastly, we want to thank all of you who took the time to share your thoughts with us by participating in our study!

 

Do Schools Make the Grade? Students Report on Colleges’/Universities’ Efforts to Address Campus Sexual Violence

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In honor of Sexual Assault ACTIVISM Month, we have been sharing findings from our recently released research study, Moving Beyond Blue Lights and Buddy Systems: A National Study of Student Anti-Rape Activists. Last week we told you about what student activists were doing to combat rape on their campuses. Now we want to tell you about what colleges and universities themselves are doing to address sexual violence. We surveyed over 500 student activists from schools in 46 US states, the District of Columbia and 5 other countries, including a mix of public and private schools with a wide range of student enrollment. They reported that the following efforts exist at their school:

• 66.4% Safety initiatives (i.e., blue lights, safe rides home)

• 59.2% Awareness-raising events (e.g. Take Back the Night)

• 46.4% On-campus survivor services (e.g., campus sexual assault center)

• 46.1% On-campus crisis response (e.g., hotline)

• 45.0% Comprehensive, clear sexual assault policy

• 43.3% Education for potential victims/survivors, including self-defense classes

• 32.9% Social norms or social marketing approaches (e.g. “Real Men Don’t
Rape” campaigns)

• 28.3% Training for campus staff (e.g., campus police/security officers)

• 22.1 % Bystander intervention/education

• 18.1 % Training for those involved in campus judiciary hearings (administration, students)

• 16.1% Education for potential perpetrators

Safety initiatives and awareness-raising efforts were the most common strategies implemented by schools – both were reported by a majority of students. In contrast, less than a quarter of students reported that their schools provided bystander education or education for potential perpetrators.

Awareness raising and risk reduction efforts are important components of an overall campus approach to address sexual violence. But they do not address the root causes of sexual violence. We urge both schools to move beyond the risk reduction strategies of blue lights and buddy systems, and to extend their efforts to addressing primary prevention, whether through encouraging bystander intervention, educating potential perpetrators, or working to change rape culture on campus.

In addition to asking students to report on their school’s activities, we also asked them to assign a grade to these efforts. Overall, students indicated that their schools were not succeeding in their efforts; half gave their school a C or lower:

A:  9.8%          B:  40.2%          C:  33.6%          D:  13.2%          F:  3.2%

FUN FACT: One in three students rated bystander intervention (31.7%) and education for potential perpetrators (28.8%) as one of the most effective ways to end campus sexual violence.

If you missed them, check out our introductory blog about this study or our blog about students’ activities, and stay tuned next week when we’ll sharing findings about campus sexual assault policy. Thanks to all of you who took the time to share your thoughts with us by participating in our study!

Read the full summary report of Moving Beyond Blue Lights and Buddy Systems: A National Study of Student Anti-Rape. For more information about the study, contact me, Emily Greytak, PhD, SAFER’s Evaluation Coordinator at .

We also want to hear from you – what is your school doing to combat sexual violence? Tell us in the comments!

Putting the Activist in Sexual Assault ACTIVISM Month

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Last week we introduced you to our new study, Moving Beyond Blue Lights and Buddy Systems: A National Study of Student Anti-Rape Activists, where we asked student activists, including many of you, about their experiences, perspectives, and perceptions addressing campus sexual violence.

Now we want to highlight that important work they’ve been doing on their campuses. Below are the portion of the student activists who reported participating in the following activities:

• 36.1% Sexual Assault Awareness Month

• 33.0% Other sexual assault/rape education or awareness activities

• 31.7% Take Back the Night

• 24.9% VDay

• 20.1% Speak Outs or other survivor forums

• 19.4% Reform of campus sexual assault policy

• 19.4% Organizing or advocacy related to crisis response or survivor services on campus

• 19.0% Training for campus staff or administration

• 16.7% Counseling or survivor support

• 16.7% Advocated/lobbied for local, state, or federal action

• 13.9% Worked (including volunteered) with local sexual assault center in the community

• 7.4% Worked at a campus-based sexual assault/rape crisis center

• 4.4% Other (e.g., Slutwalk, Clothesline Project)

It’s obvious that student activists are doing a ton of amazing things – from speak outs to staff training to survivor support. Awareness raising events, such as Take Back the Night and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, were the most common types of activities that students participate in. These events bring the reality of campus sexual violence to light – they also demonstrate support for survivors and the need for change. Yet, it is critical that students mobilize this increased awareness to organize for change. However, only a small portion of student activists are organizing or advocating to reform their campus policies or implement programming or services. We ask that this month—Sexual Assault ACTIVISM Month—student activists around the country renew their commitment to combating sexual violence by taking action to create lasting change on their campus. SAFER has resources to help support students as they organize and advocate for change.

FUN FACT: More than a third of student anti-rape activists in our survey also worked on LGBTQ issues (41.2%) and intimate partner violence issues (37.8%) on campus.

If you missed it, check out our introductory blog about this study, and stay tuned for more findings from our study throughout the rest of Sexual Assault ACTIVISM Month. Thanks to all of you who took the time to share your thoughts with us by participating in our study.

Read the full summary report of Moving Beyond Blue Lights and Buddy Systems: A National Study of Student Anti-Rape. For more information about the study, contact me, Emily Greytak, PhD, SAFER’s Evaluation Coordinator at emily@safercampus.org.

We also want to hear from you – what activities have you participated in on your campus? Tell us in the comments!