Campus Climate and Sexual Assault Victimization Amongst LGBTQ College Students

Background: Sexual and gender minority college students are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault in college, however, there is a paucity of research exploring the role of the college environment in victimization. This study explores the relationship of the campus climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) college students and sexual assault victimization.

Method: Participants were recruited for this cross-sectional study through an anonymous, on-line survey distributed through social media. On-line recruitment was used to enhance anonymity and accessibility for participants This sample included 1,115 current college students in the United States who identified as a gender and/or sexual minority. The majority of the sample identified as white (86%, n = 949), followed by multi-racial (5.6%, n = 62), Asian (3.8%, n = 42), African American (3.3%, n = 36), and Native American (.2%, n = 9). Regarding ethnicity, almost 9% of individuals identified as Hispanic (n = 97), while the remainder identified as not Hispanic (n = 1,013). Participants represented a wide range of gender and sexual minority identities. Sexual orientation included bisexual (41%, n = 453), gay (19%, n = 210), lesbian (18.5%, n = 206), pansexual (5.5%, n = 61), queer (5.5%, n = 61), asexual (5.1%, n = 57), questioning (3%, n = 33) and another (2.6%, n = 29). Over half of participants identified as female (48%, n = 534), followed by male (20%, n = 220), non-binary (14%, n = 156), transgender male (8%, n = 88), genderqueer, gender non-conforming (6%, n = 64), transgender female (3.3%, n = 37) and another (1.3%n = 15). Of the participants, 37% indicated that they had experienced sexual assault while attending their current college (n = 409). Participants who answered “prefer not to answer” were excluded from analysis.

Results: Direct logistic regression analysis was performed on victimization as outcome and multiple independent variables related to gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and campus climate. When controlling for all other variables in the model, Hispanic LGBTQ students were more likely to experience sexual assault during college than those who did not identify as Hispanic (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.04 – 2.85, p = .036). Further, transmen were less likely to experience sexual assault than other genders (OR = .27, 95% CI: .07 - ..99, p = .049). Also, as the amount of discrimination or harassment of other LGBTQ students witnessed by participants rose, so did the likelihood that they would experience sexual assault in college (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.12 – 1.21, p < .001).

Conclusions: Findings support the idea that multi-level environmental factors may play a role in victimization rates of sexual and gender minorities. Comprehensive climate studies on the campus level, addressing harassment and discrimination, and incorporating anti-racism strategies into sexual assault prevention strategies may support efforts to reduce the rate of sexual assault within college communities.