Little information is available about the impact of …



Assessment of Sexual Victimization and Intimate Partner Violence at the University of California, Irvine

Ashley Boal

Mentors: Mandy Mount, Manuel Gomez

Little information is available about the impact of sexual violence on the student community at UC Irvine. Current methods of obtaining information about the prevalence of these behaviors on campus have failed to reach the entire student community and have resulted in inconsistent data. A compilation of surveys was administered to a sample of undergraduate and graduate students to obtain a clearer understanding of the prevalence and types of sexual violence on the UC Irvine campus. The initial sample of 1,000 students is demographically similar to the population of UCI students. Preliminary findings indicate that 284 of the participants have been victims of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, with 140 participants reporting at least one experience of rape or attempted rape in the last twelve months. These results are generally consistent with national averages but are significantly different than the number of assaults reported to the campus. The survey additionally found that some students identified as either victims or perpetrators of intimate partner violence and stalking behaviors. Attitudes towards sexual assault and rape myth acceptance were also examined, with results indicating that while a majority of students at UCI do not endorse rape-supportive attitudes, a significant number of students reflect inaccurate knowledge about sexual violence and report uncertainty about decision-making in potentially dangerous situations. Implications for this study include providing current information that will be used for outreach efforts, clinical services, and the development and implementation of new student programs.

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