Sexual Assault Risk During Study Abroad

82 Pages·2015·8.78 MB·English

Bucknell University
Bucknell Digital Commons
Master’s Theses Student Theses
2014
Sexual Assault Risk During Study Abroad
Brittany Elaine Kurtz
[email protected]
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Recommended Citation
Kurtz, Brittany Elaine, "Sexual Assault Risk During Study Abroad" (2014).Master’s Theses. 116.
https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/masters_theses/116
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SEXUAL ASSAULT RISK ON AND OFF CAMPUS iv
Acknowledgements
Foremost, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Bill Flack for his guidance and
support throughout our research collaboration. I would also like to thank Kim Daubman and T.
Joel Wade for their advice and support as members of my thesis committee. In addition, I would
like to thank the members of the 2012-2014 campus sexual assault research team for their
patience, hard work, and continued support during the survey design and data collection process.
A special thanks to J.T. Ptacek, Aaron Mitchel, and Peter Judge for their contributions and
advice throughout this process. I would like to thank Kelsey Ginck for her patience,
encouragement, and continual support. Finally, I would like to thank my parents and brother for
their encouragement and support. Without the help of these people, I would have never been able
to complete this thesis.
RISK DURING STUDY ABROAD v
Table of Contents
I. List of Tables…………………………………………………………………..…………vi
II. Abstract………………………………………………………………………..…………vii
III. Introduction…………………………………………………………………..……………1
IV. Method…………………………………………………………………….………………7
V. Results. …………………………………………………………………….…………….14
VI. Discussion…………………………………………………………………………..……24
VII. References………………………………………………………………………………..28
VIII. Appendix A: Consent Form: On Campus Fall 2013 Survey………….…………………31
IX. Appendix B: Debrief: On Campus Fall 2013 Survey……………………………………33
X. Appendix C: Demographics: On Campus Fall 2013 Survey……….……………………34
XI. Appendix D: RSES-Victimization and Follow-Up Questions: On Campus Fall 2013
Survey……………………………………………………………………………………35
XII. Appendix E: National Stressful Events PTSD Scale: On Campus Fall 2013 Survey...…47
XIII. Appendix F: Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire: On Campus Fall 2013 Survey……...50
XIV. Appendix G: Consent Form: Off Campus Spring 2014 Survey…………………………52
XV. Appendix H: Debrief: Off Campus Spring 2014 Survey…...……………………………54
XVI. Appendix I: Demographics and Study Abroad Information: Off Campus Spring 2014
Survey……………………………………………………………....……………………55
XVII. Appendix J: RSES-Victimization and Follow-Up Questions: Off Campus Spring 2014
Survey……………………………………………………………………………………57
XVIII. Appendix K: National Stressful Events PTSD Scale: Off Campus Spring 2014 Survey..69
XIX. Appendix L: Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire: Off Campus Spring 2014 Survey…..72
RISK DURING STUDY ABROAD vi
List of Tables
1. Demographic Information of the Population and Samples………………………………..8
2. Demographic Information about the Off Campus Sample………………………………..9
3. Percentage of Victims from Both Samples………………………………………………15
4. Male Perpetrator Identities as Reported by Female Victims…………………………….16
5. Male Perpetrator Tactics as Reported by Female Victims……………………………….18
6. Response Rate by Class Year…………………………………………………………....19
7. Frequencies and Percentages of Victims On Campus by Class Year………………..…..19
8. Frequencies and Percentages of Victims without the First Year On Campus Victims.....20
9. Frequencies and Percentages of Victims by Only or Most Recent Assault Reported
without the First Year Victims…………………………………………………………...21
10. Single Semester Frequencies Analyzed in χ2 test using On Campus Spring 2013
Victims…………………………………………………………………………………...22
11. Overall victim frequencies of positive reports to instances of institutional betrayal
analyzed in χ2 test………………………………………………………………………...23
RISK DURING STUDY ABROAD vii
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine the risk of sexual assault for female undergraduates
who chose to study abroad compared to their risk for staying on campus. This context has not
been sufficiently examined for risk of sexual assault, which would seem useful given the high
numbers associated with campus sexual assault (one in four, Koss et al., 1987; one in five,
Fisher, Daigle, & Cullen, 2010). An on campus sample (n=324) of females responded to
behaviorally specific questions concerning unwanted, nonconsensual sexual experiences during a
single academic year. Their results were compared to an off campus sample (n=141) who
responded to the same questions in relation to the semester they studied abroad. Almost 17% of
the on campus sample and about 8% from the off campus sample reported an attempted rape or
rape. When compared on the basis of a single semester students on and off campus reported the
same number of attempted rape or rape experiences. These findings indicate that undergraduate
females maintain a high-risk level of more severe sexual assault experiences regardless of
location.
RISK DURING STUDY ABROAD 1!

Sexual Assault Risk During Study Abroad
Violence against women knows no bounds and continues to affect the global community.
Researchers from a variety of disciplines are trying to understand the causes and consequences
related to this seemingly unresolvable issue. In a recent global study, the World Health
Organization (WHO) found that 35% of women have experienced some kind of violence (e.g.
intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence) during their lifetime (WHO, 2013).
This rate is strikingly similar to the consistent college campus rates of sexual assault found in the
United States over the past 20 years (e.g. Koss et al., 1987; Krebs et al., 2009; Fisher et al.,
2010).
Another national trend seen among college students is electing to study abroad during
their academic career and therefore spend a few months to a semester off campus (Institute of
International Education, 2013). Looking at the evidence from WHO’s international study on
violence against women and a few of the campus sexual assault studies done in the U.S., a gap in
the literature becomes apparent. Sexual assault is not limited to a specific region or population.
As more U.S. college students choose to study abroad, they are creating a unique population that
has not yet been fully investigated for their potential risk of sexual assault. It is critical to study
individuals from one risky environment (e.g. U.S. college undergraduates on U.S. campuses) and
how they may differ in risk level in another environment (e.g. study abroad programs on foreign
campuses). The present study intends to help bridge this gap in the literature by investigating a
single campus’ rates of sexual assault on campus compared to the off campus rates of sexual
assault over a similar period of time.
RISK DURING STUDY ABROAD 2!

Violence Against Women
Over 30% of women worldwide have experienced a physical and/or sexual assault
(WHO, 2013). This same study found that in high-income regions (including the U.S.) about
23% of women experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence. The National
Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NIPSVS) discovered that about 1 in 5 women and
1 in 71 men have been raped during their lifetime (Black, Basile, Breiding, Smith, Walters,
Merrick, Chen & Stevens, 2011). Nearly 80% of female rape victims experienced their first rape
before age 25 (Black et al., 2011). Another startling finding from this survey was that 1 in 3
women in the U.S. experienced a rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner
in their lifetime (Black et al., 2011). These results indicate that women are at higher risk of
assault by those who are closer to them. Stranger assaults, while frightening, are not as
commonly reported in sexual/physical assaults. Evidence from the above surveys, point to a clear
social injustice in the rights of women, as well as, a higher risk of sexual violence.
Campus Sexual Assault
National campus studies have found female students have a 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 chance of
being sexually assaulted while in university (Fisher, Daigle, & Cullen, 2010; Koss, Gidycz, &
Wisniewski, 1987). Koss and colleagues administered one of the first national studies to focus on
campus sexual assault, which utilized a behavior-specific question format. One of the advantages
of using this construction technique is that it allows for researchers to ask if a participant has
been raped without using negative emotionally charged words, such as “rape” or “assault.” By
using language that describes an assault (e.g. have you ever had sexual intercourse when you
didn’t want to because a man used some degree of physical force to make you), Koss and
colleagues were able to obtain a more descriptive picture of campus sexual assault around the