Presentation Type
Oral Presentation - Campus Access Only
Abstract/Artist Statement
For ages 18 to 25 sexual violence is the only crime that is found to occur more frequently among college students than the same age group not attending college and is at its highest rate during the first year of attendance (Baum & Klaus, 2005). Research has already uncovered increased risk of victimization for young college students, with heavy alcohol consumption (Messman-Moore, Coates, Gaffey, & Johnson, 2008). Although, it is still unknown how alcohol specifically affects the victim’s perception of the experience. With low report rates (40%, Truman & Planty, 2012), and an even lower acknowledgment of crime rate (25%, Cleere & Lynn, 2013) and high rates of alcohol consumption of either the perpetrator or victim prior to SV (50%, Abbey, Ross, McDuffie, & McAuslan, 1996), it is important to understand how influential the voluntary consumption of alcohol is on the perception of the victim in the unwanted sexual experience. Bystanders perceive that the victim has more responsibility when alcohol is involved (Girard & Senn, 2008). Therefore, if victims have similar perceptions they may fail to recognize a crime occurred, be less likely to seek social support, and feel responsibility for the SV. A campus wide Safe Campus Survey was disseminated in the fall of 2014. Logistic regression and Chi-Square Test for Association were utilized to test the relationships between the victim’s perception of intoxication on their likelihood to tell someone about the assault, feelings of responsibility, perception of a crime occurring, and shame/embarrassment or guilt. Significant associations were found with feelings of responsibility and perception of a crime, with and without the control for physical force. Future directions and limitations are discussed.
Mentor Name
Christine Fiore, Ph.D.
Victim's Perspective of Their Role in Unwanted Sexual Experiences When Alcohol is Consumed
For ages 18 to 25 sexual violence is the only crime that is found to occur more frequently among college students than the same age group not attending college and is at its highest rate during the first year of attendance (Baum & Klaus, 2005). Research has already uncovered increased risk of victimization for young college students, with heavy alcohol consumption (Messman-Moore, Coates, Gaffey, & Johnson, 2008). Although, it is still unknown how alcohol specifically affects the victim’s perception of the experience. With low report rates (40%, Truman & Planty, 2012), and an even lower acknowledgment of crime rate (25%, Cleere & Lynn, 2013) and high rates of alcohol consumption of either the perpetrator or victim prior to SV (50%, Abbey, Ross, McDuffie, & McAuslan, 1996), it is important to understand how influential the voluntary consumption of alcohol is on the perception of the victim in the unwanted sexual experience. Bystanders perceive that the victim has more responsibility when alcohol is involved (Girard & Senn, 2008). Therefore, if victims have similar perceptions they may fail to recognize a crime occurred, be less likely to seek social support, and feel responsibility for the SV. A campus wide Safe Campus Survey was disseminated in the fall of 2014. Logistic regression and Chi-Square Test for Association were utilized to test the relationships between the victim’s perception of intoxication on their likelihood to tell someone about the assault, feelings of responsibility, perception of a crime occurring, and shame/embarrassment or guilt. Significant associations were found with feelings of responsibility and perception of a crime, with and without the control for physical force. Future directions and limitations are discussed.