Victimization and perpetration in a sample of college age men and women

Purpose: Sexual violence is a public health problem. There is research on sexual violence victimization but less data on perpetration. The purpose of this analysis is to describe rates of victimization and perpetration of various forms of sexual violence in a sample of college students. Design: This descriptive study used a cross sectional survey design to describe victimization and perpetration. Sample: 1,980 male and female students from three universities in the United States. Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, students were contacted through email or through voluntary, convenience social gatherings. Each participant completed a questionnaire to gather background data and the Sexual Experiences Survey - Victimization and Perpetration. Data was analyzed using SPSS (20.0). Results: Thirty-six percent of the men and women had been a victim of some form of sexual violence. Victims were mostly women (42.6%, n= 536) as compared to men (28.8%, n= 165). Five percent of men and women reported perpetrating sexual violence. Of those who report perpetration acts, 10.5% (n=60) were men and 3.2% (n= 40) were women. The most frequently reported forms of sexual violence among the victims and perpetrators was fondled, kissed, or rubbed up against the private areas of the body or removed clothing without consent, and encouraged/pressured to drink with the intention of having sex. Conclusion: Sexual violence affects men and women---victimization and perpetration. Describing victimization and perpetration of various forms of sexual violence will increase awareness among college communities and help move college campuses towards a response.