Fraternal Force: A Cultural Intervention to Alter the Way Fraternities Communicate and ...

331 Pages·2016·2.7 MB·English

University of Connecticut
OpenCommons@UConn
Doctoral Dissertations University of Connecticut Graduate School
5-6-2016
Fraternal Force: A Cultural Intervention to Alter the
Way Fraternities Communicate and Conceptualize
Sexual Violence
Richard S. Colon Jr
University of Connecticut - Storrs, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at:https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations
Recommended Citation
Colon, Richard S. Jr, "Fraternal Force: A Cultural Intervention to Alter the Way Fraternities Communicate and Conceptualize Sexual
Violence" (2016).Doctoral Dissertations. 1088.
https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations/1088
Fraternal Force: A Cultural Intervention to Alter the Way Fraternities
Communicate and Conceptualize Sexual Violence
Richard Colon, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut, 2016

One in four women will be victim/survivors of sexual assault by the time she
graduates college (Koss, Gidycz, and Wisniewski 1988). In the decades since this
shocking statistic was revealed colleges and universities have spent time, money, and
resources to address sexual assault. Unfortunately, little has changed and it continues to
be an epidemic (Abbey 2002, Fisher, Cullen, and Turner 2000, Lee et al. 2003, U.S.
Department of Education 2010). In addition, fraternity men are more likely to perpetrate
these crimes than their non-affiliated peers (Boyle 2015, Kingree and Thompson 2013,
Murnen and Kohlman 2007). The prevention programs colleges and universities use lack
evidence of their effectiveness (DeGue et al. 2014, Vladutiu, Martin, and Macy 2011).
This study takes an anthropological approach in understanding the emic
perspectives of fraternity life. Through years of ethnographic fieldwork and interviews,
this study explains why fraternity men remain an at-risk population for sexual assault
perpetration due to the power dynamics, discourses, and lived reality of fraternal life.
This fieldwork informed the creation of a new sexual assault prevention program for
fraternity men. This study measures the effectiveness of the piloting of this new program.
Results indicated that the intervention showed some success. The fraternity men
were open to the program and genuinely wanted to talk about sexual assault and consent.
After exposure to the intervention the men gained a better understanding of what consent
Richard Colon – University of Connecticut, 2016

entailed. They now understand that consent is a continuous process and that consent is
needed for each aspect of a sexual encounter. The program was able to begin to
normalize the topics of consent and sexual assault which allowed the men to discuss these
concepts with their sexual partners and peers. The program needs some improvements in
modeling consent to assist the men in changing their behaviors. These results provide
guidance for ways to improve upon the program to garner stronger effects. Implications
for dissemination of the intervention is also discussed.
Fraternal Force: A Cultural Intervention to Alter the Way Fraternities
Communicate and Conceptualize Sexual Violence

Richard Colon

B.A., University of Connecticut, 2006
M.A., University of Connecticut, 2012

A Dissertation
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
at the
University of Connecticut
2016
Copyright by
Richard Colon

2016
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APPROVAL PAGE

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Fraternal Force: A Cultural Intervention to Alter the Way Fraternities Communicate and
Conceptualize Sexual Violence

Presented by
Richard Colon, B.A., M.A.

Major Advisor: ________________________________________________________
Pamela Erickson, Ph.D., Dr. P.H.

Associate Advisor: _____________________________________________________
Merrill Singer, Ph.D.

Associate Advisor: _____________________________________________________
Sarah Willen, Ph.D.

University of Connecticut
2016
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Acknowledgements

This dissertation and all of the work involved in this intervention would
not have been possible if it was not for all those who helped me along the way. I
would first like to thank my advisor and friend Dr. Pamela Erickson. I am
forever grateful to Pam for her support, guidance, and faith in me. Very few
advisors would allow a doctoral student to completely change their topic
halfway through their fieldwork. But when I walked into Pam’s office and told
her that I wanted to devote all of my work to stopping sexual assault she fully
supported the idea. Even fewer advisors would allow their student to collaborate
with other professionals on their dissertation and to allow that dissertation be an
applied intervention. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr.
Merrill Singer and Dr. Sarah Willen. I know that I am a better researcher and
anthropologist because of them. They not only helped me understand and frame
my theoretical perspectives but they always challenged me, making me question
and better understand the world around me. I am most grateful my entire
committee’s support, especially during some difficult times in my graduate
career.
I am especially grateful to those who helped me to put my ideas together.
I would like to thank Dr. Mary Bernstein, Dr. Sameena Mulla, Dr. Peggy
Sanday, and Dr. Tal Nitsan. I could not have completed this research without the
assistance of Meg Frost, Alexandra Itri, Alex Clancy, and Kelsey Heidgerd who
assisted with data collection.
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None of this work would have been possible without the assistance of all
those who collaborated with me on the project. Most importantly is Matthew
Barry who helped design and co-facilitated the program. I would also like to
thank the counseling staff at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Nick Gummo and
Ben Swartz. I am also grateful to several members of the administration at the
University of Connecticut especially The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life,
The Women’s Center, The Title IX office, and Lauren Donais and the Violence
Against Women Prevention Program. I would also like to thank the men from the
TGR fraternity for not only their participation in the program but also for their
enthusiasm and commitment to be better men.
I want to thank my fellow graduate students who put up with me testing
surveys and the intervention on them and allowing me to talk through my
research and ideas. Without their assistance I could not have developed this
program. Specifically, I would like to thank: Joy Ciofi, Jennifer Cook, Heather
Cruz, Cyndi Frank, Austin Johnson, Steve Kilgus, Shir Lerman, Olivia Marcus,
Ruthanne Marcus, Kitty O’Riordan, Bayla Ostrach, Erika Phillips, Michele San
Pedro, Amanda Tack, and James Zeigler.
I am eternally grateful to my family. Without my parents, Richard and
Jean Colon, I would not have become the person I am today. I am also thankful
for my brothers and the entire Jaffery clan for their continued support. I am
thankful for all of my friends and surprised that they still want to hang out with
me. I know that my research is not a good conversation topic for parties. Yet
they were generally interested and helped me in ways I cannot even put to
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words. So I want to give a special thanks to Emily Goss, John and Megan
Regan, Rob and Zoe Riccio, and Ethan and Roxanne Warner-Crane.
Most importantly, I would like to thank my loving and supportive wife,
Rose Jaffery. Without her love, understanding, and encouragement I could not
have done any of this. I am forever grateful for her and all that she had done for
me.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Approval Page.....................................................................................................................iii
Acknowledgments...............................................................................................................iv
Table of Contents...............................................................................................................vii
List of Appendices................................................................................................................x

Forward…………………………........................................................................................1
Terminology…………………….........................................................................................2
Dedication............................................................................................................................6

Introduction: An Overview of an Epidemic……….............................................................7
Project Summary………………..............................................................................7
Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................8
Note on Terminology…...........................................................................................9

Chapter 1: One in Four.......................................................................................................10

Overview ...............................................................................................................10
History of Sexual Assault on College Campuses....................................................10
Sexual Assault Crime on College Campuses..........................................................17
Who is the Typical Rapist?.....................................................................................19
Summary................................................................................................................23

Chapter 2: Alcohol.............................................................................................................25
Overview…............................................................................................................25
Alcohol Consumption............................................................................................25
Why Students Drink...............................................................................................32
Negative Outcomes: Injury....................................................................................36
Negative Outcomes: Crime....................................................................................37
Negative Outcomes: Risky Sexual Practices..........................................................41
Negative Outcomes: Why Binge?..........................................................................46
Summary................................................................................................................47

Chapter 3: Fraternities........................................................................................................50

Overview ...............................................................................................................50
History of Fraternities in America..........................................................................50
The Changes in Fraternal Life................................................................................56
Fraternities Today..................................................................................................59
Risky Behaviors.....................................................................................................60
Why do Fraternity Men Binge Drink More?...........................................................61
The Role of Hyper Masculinity..............................................................................63
Fraternity Men and Sexual Assault.........................................................................66
Summary................................................................................................................70

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