(WITHDRAWN) International Students' Experience and Knowledge of Sexual Assault Related Content

Background and Purpose: While the prevalence and importance of addressing sexual assault (SA) on post-secondary campuses is well documented, less is known about the specific experiences of international students, particularly related to their unique experience of receiving SA information. For international students who may also be experiencing racism and other forms of discrimination in the United States, SA may be one of many complex issues facing them (Smith & Khawja, 2011). However, few studies have examined international students’ experiences related to receiving SA prevention content and their knowledge of campus resources. This study aims to explore international students’ experiences compared to non-international students’ experiences in four domains: bystander behavior, exposure to SA information, general knowledge of campus SA resources, and knowledge of resources and process after a SA.

Methods: The data from this study is based on measures derived from subsections of the campus climate survey developed by the Administrator-Researcher Campus Climate Collaborative (ARC3). All participants of this study (N=2,173) were from seven universities from the Great Plains and Midwest regions of the United States. Of the 2,155 individuals sampled, 101 of these students identified as international students. A recruitment email that included a link to the online survey was sent to all undergraduate and graduate students. The message included an invitation to participate and information about their rights as a research participant. The email also detailed information about options to report SA incidences and available counseling services. Four indexes were developed as measures based on ARC3 modules: bystander behavior, exposure to information about SA, general knowledge of campus SA resources, and knowledge of resources and process after a SA. Poisson and ordered probit regression were conducted.

Results: Overall, the findings showed key differences. International students in the sample were less likely than non-international students to be exposed to information about SA while at their institution. International students in the sample were more likely than non-international students to report having higher levels of awareness about resources available and processes that occur after a SA. International students were more likely than non-international students to have higher levels of trust that the institution would handle cases of sexual assault appropriately. International students in the sample were more likely than non-international students to report lower levels of prosocial bystander behavior.

Conclusions and Implications: This exploratory study demonstrates that international students report having different experiences and exposure to SA related content than non-international students. Despite the study’s limitations, which include a small international student sample size and the limited geographical location of the campuses where the surveys were administered, the need to more deeply understand the difference in international and non-international students experiences of SA education is evident. For example, future research that examines international and non-international students’ perceptions of SA as part of their educational experience could include where students are receiving SA messages on campus.