College is an exciting time where young adults earn the opportunity to branch off from their home environments, explore independence, and build new connections with peers. Young adults step into college life with dreams of growth and freedom as they embark on their new journey. Parents tend to worry about their child not being within arm’s length but are filled with a sense of pride and joy for the new path that lies ahead. However, what parents and students may not realize are the striking statistics surrounding domestic and sexual violence on college campuses. In terms of sexual violence, 1 in 4 college-aged women have been a survivor of a rape or an attempted rape over the course of their college experience. Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to any physical, psychological, economic, or sexual abuse that occurs in a romantic relationship between current or past partners. A shocking 21% of all college students report being a survivor of dating violence with a current partner, and 32% reported dating violence with a previous partner. 13% of college-aged women report that they have been forced into having sex by a current partner, and similarly, 13% of college women report being stalked (over half of those by a current or past partner). Considering the most common age for survivors of IPV is 18-24, it is crucial that we recognize this violence and implement comprehensive and evidence-based prevention strategies.
The Scope
Recent statistics surrounding domestic and sexual violence on college campuses reveal a jarring reality, making it essential to understand the true scope and implications of this issue. While all these statistics are truly upsetting, these only account for reported violence. Sadly, these rates are estimated to be even higher, because of the stigma surrounding IPV that discourages survivors from coming forward. Many survivors stay silent because of the overwhelming fear of retaliation from abusers, as well as those closely integrated with the abuser, fear of their safety, guilt, and all the extremely damaging societal stigma surrounding domestic and sexual violence. Time and time again we see history repeat itself, with college-aged abusers getting a simple slap on the wrist for the damaging abuse they’ve inflicted, while the survivor’s story is overshadowed. This protection of abusers in our society without a doubt leads to underreporting and survivors suffer in silence. Dating violence can have significant and detrimental harm towards a student’s physical and emotional health, and academic performance, which is why it needs to be properly addressed.
Another key aspect of IPV and domestic and sexual violence on college campuses is what is known as the “Red Zone”. The Red Zone refers to the period during the beginning of the fall semester where over 50% of college sexual assaults take place. This period is characterized by students adjusting to their new environments, understanding the social schemes, and building relationships. This learning period leads to inevitable vulnerability, especially for freshmen or transfer students. This time is also one that coincides with peak social activity with frequent parties to celebrate the new semester, and drugs and alcohol are often present. Perpetrators see the Red Zone as an opportunity to take advantage of students, especially those who may be unfamiliar with campus policies and resources concerning sexual assault. Understanding the Red Zone isn’t about blaming students; it’s about recognizing how lack of adequate education on violence, campus culture, and timing intersect to create risk.
Causes and Risk Factors
There are several causes and risk factors worth considering when understanding why sexual and domestic violence is so prevalent on college campuses. Evaluating these factors can help formulate evidence-based prevention and education strategies to combat this violence. Isolation is a major risk factor for IPV. As previously mentioned, college can be a major transition for young adults characterized by major social environment changes and independence. While this can be very beneficial for the growth of young adults and their preparation for the future, it can also be very isolating. Students may feel disconnected from their trusted social networks and may struggle to make meaningful connections with other students. If a student becomes a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, this feeling of isolation is amplified and survivors may feel trapped or ashamed, especially if they believe no one will believe them or help them escape. If it is a situation of IPV, abusers may recognize this vulnerability and further isolate the survivor to increase their control and repeat this cycle of abuse.
College offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations that students can become involved in and that foster a sense of community and help students build meaningful connections. However, historically, there have been trends concerning certain organizations, like Greek life, that can encourage harmful behaviors. Statistically it has been found that male students affiliated with a fraternity are three times more likely to commit an act of sexual assault compared to their non-affiliated peers. Additionally, female students in sororities are 74% more likely to be sexually assaulted compared to their peers who are not in sororities. This can be explained by a variety of different factors, like the role of toxic masculinity that tends to be encouraged by other fraternity members, the frequent parties hosted by fraternities that involve drugs and alcohol, the reduced culpability as a member of an organization supported by the university, and much more. Not coincidentally, rush typically takes place in the fall semester during the Red Zone where most sexual assaults occur. The term “rush” refers to a period where male students who are interested in a fraternity are referred to as “pledges” and are often given tasks and opportunities to prove themselves “worthy” to the organization. Many of these pledges are encouraged to engage in drinking activities and illicit substances, oftentimes against their will, otherwise known as “hazing”. This period of binge drinking and desire for approval from older members, creates an environment conducive to sexual assault.
Dating violence can have extremely damaging physical and psychological effects on survivors. Psychologically, the weight of the traumatic effects from an experience, or experiences, with domestic and sexual violence, can feel unbearable for anyone, especially a young adult adjusting to college life. Coping with these emotional struggles can be increasingly difficult, especially when considering how many students feel isolated during the transition into college normalcy. Trying to manage the stress of dating violence and the weight of schoolwork often leads to survivors performing poorly academically.
Prevention and Institutional Response
College campuses have made strides to combat the issue of domestic and sexual violence on school grounds, but there is still much more that needs to be done to fully address these harsh trends. Through programs and policy frameworks like Title IX enforcement, the Campus SaVE Act, and other peer-led initiatives, prevention and response to dating violence is significantly more comprehensive than it once was.
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that strictly prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs, such as colleges and universities. More specifically, Title IX protects against domestic and sexual violence and is an extremely powerful legal framework that ensures colleges take action to protect students and prevent violence. However, in the past there has been harsh criticism over whether universities were taking Title IX as seriously as it is intended. Many campuses conduct their own hearings when dealing with reports of domestic and sexual violence, and there have been significant reports of dissatisfaction from students regarding the treatment of these matters. It has often been reported that survivors who have come forward about their experiences to their universities have felt retraumatized, confused, and believe Title IX failed to protect them. An incredible resource for learning more about Title IX is called “Know Your IX”, which is a survivor and youth-led initiative created in 2013 to prevent and educate others on dating violence in schools. Initiatives like Know Your IX are crucial to students, because it can be very overwhelming to try to understand laws like Title IX, and what rights and resources you have access to under it. Know Your IX answers any questions one may have about Title IX, allows people to read about impactful stories from survivors, access to legal resources, policy recommendations, and more.
Education is a crucial factor in preventing violence before it happens. It also provides information for potential survivors to recognize their abuse. In 2013, the Campus SaVE Act was introduced, which requires that all schools under Title IX law must implement prevention education programs about sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. These education programs aim to teach students about the different kinds of IPV, how to recognize these kinds of abuse in yourself and in your peers, the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships, as well as gender stereotypes. A large aspect of prevention education is for students to understand the importance of bystander effect, that if they see abuse happening between their peers, to intervene safely and appropriately. Bystander intervention has been widely effective, especially on college campuses, because of the unique social dynamics and campus culture. If students can visually identify the warning signs of dating violence, they’re much more likely to intervene if they encounter it on college campuses.
There is certainly more to be done in terms of prevention education on college campuses. While bystander education has been very successful in changing student’s feelings of efficacy and intentions as a bystander, they haven’t been proven to directly influence bystander behaviors. Programs like Campus SaVE are greatly beneficial for increasing knowledge and changing attitudes about topics surrounding dating violence, but there needs to be more engaging and evidence-based approaches that will encourage students to intervene if they encounter abuse as a bystander.
Call to Action
Whether you’re a student, staff member or just a concerned reader, your actions matter and there are ways to help. First, attending up-to-date and evidence-based training surrounding dating violence is crucial for understanding the different types of IPV and how to appropriately and safely intervene if you encounter it. We can’t combat this issue if we don’t know what it is. Second, support survivors in any way possible, with compassion. Listen to survivor’s stories without judgment, share helpful resources and information. Finally, advocate for accountability and policy change. Student-centered and trauma-informed procedures and policies are the most effective in spreading awareness. The continual requirement of prevention education on campuses is crucial. Speak up when you hear jokes surrounding IPV and violence. Use your voice.
Sources
https://www.thehotline.org/stakeholders/domestic-violence-statistics/
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6628a1.htm
https://www.advocatesforyouth.org/campaigns/know-your-ix/
https://www.ourwave.org/post/lets-get-greek-sexual-assault-trends-within-college-greek-life
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10009487/