Campus Based Sexual Assault and Dating Violence: A Review of Study Contexts and Participants
Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work
Published online on April 21, 2016
Abstract
Colleges are working to study and address sexual assault (SA) and dating violence (DV) on campus. This quantitative systematic review assessed 196 studies of SA and DV to evaluate if the literature fully reflects the demographics of American higher education. Results show disproportionate representation in the populations and settings in which research is occurring. No studies occurred at associates/2-year institutions, and participants are substantially younger and whiter than American college students overall. Education and prevention efforts that do not take into account the bias in these studies may exacerbate intersectional barriers for students.