Not a Big Deal? Examining Help-Seeking Behaviors of Sexually Victimized Women on the College Campus

The sexual assault and coercion of women on university campuses continues to be an ongoing problem. It is estimated that more than 15% of women attending college experience some type of sexual assault or coercion each year. As universities and other social institutions begin to acknowledge the preva...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Wood, McKenzie (Author)
Contributors: Stichman, Amy J.
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2018
In: International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology
Year: 2018, Volume: 62, Issue: 6, Pages: 1415-1429
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
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Keywords:
Adult victims
Beratung
Prevention
Sexual assault
Sexualopfer
Support seeking
Unterstützung
Description
Summary:The sexual assault and coercion of women on university campuses continues to be an ongoing problem. It is estimated that more than 15% of women attending college experience some type of sexual assault or coercion each year. As universities and other social institutions begin to acknowledge the prevalence of sexual victimization, an increased emphasis has been placed on helping victims of sexual crimes. The current study uses results from 378 surveys completed by females at a midwestern university to examine the help-seeking behaviors of those who have been victimized. This study specifically focuses on formal and informal reporting, identifying help agents, and reasons for not reporting. Results reveal that 1% of women who were victimized reported their experience to a formal entity, whereas 45% told an informal agent, such as a friend or roommate. Reasons for not reporting included not identifying the experience as rape, wanting to keep the experience private, and feeling ashamed.
ISSN:1552-6933
DOI:10.1177/0306624X16683225