Community Violence and Sexual Violence Victimization Among U.S. College Students: Exploring Racial/Ethnic Disparities

Background and Purpose: Sexual abuse victimization and community violence induce long-term trauma and negative health outcomes among college student survivors compared to those without these violences. Despite preliminary evidence that individuals who belong to marginalized racial and ethnic groups are at a greater risk of experiencing these violences, scare evidence is available regarding racial/ethnic differences in the experience of sexual abuse victimization and community violence among college students. In addition, limited evidence illuminates how sexual violence victimization occurred with exposure to community violence. To address these gaps, the current study aims to explore racial/ethnic disparities and community violence contributing to sexual violence victimization to inform the development of prevention and intervention strategies to reduce the incidence of sexual violence among college students. This study examines the following research questions: (1) Are there racial/ethnic differences in community violence and sexual violence victimization among college students? (2) Does race/ethnicity predict college students’ experience of community violence while controlling other demographic variables? (3) Do race/ethnicity and community violence predict college students’ experience of sexual violence while controlling other demographic and behavioral variables?

Methods: The current study employed the data via a cross-sectional online survey that assessed N=5,186 college students’ experiences of lifetime victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV) including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. The online survey was conducted with college students aged 17 years or older from five public and one private universities in the United States and one public university in Canada from March 2016 to June 2017. The study’s total sample included 5,186 students. We have measured sexual violence by intimate partner, exposure to community violence (Cronbach α reliability=0.81), and socio-demographic characteristics. Race/ethnicity of the students was categorized to white, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian/Pacific Islanders, multi-ethnic, and other. Using SPSS 26.0, we conducted statistical analysis including ANOVA tests and multiple linear regression tests.

Results: The study found significant differences in exposure to community and sexual violence victimization among different racial/ethnic groups. Multi-ethnic groups had the highest exposure to community violence, while whites had the highest exposure to sexual violence victimization. Non-heterosexual identity, disability, and age were associated with increased exposure to community violence. Non-heterosexual and female students, as well as those with disabilities and higher exposure to community violence, were more likely to experience sexual violence victimization. Seeking help was also significantly associated with a higher likelihood of sexual violence victimization.

Conclusions and Implications: Despite the overrepresentation of white students in the survey responses, the study is still significant in shedding light on the differences in violence experiences across different racial/ethnic groups. The policy makers or stakeholders may consider creating tailored prevention and intervention approaches to decrease sexual violence on college campuses, while also taking into account the unique risk factors linked with different racial/ethnic groups, sexual orientations, and disabilities. In addition, further research can explore what support or resources are available for college students with different race/ethnicity and other marginalized identities to prevent sexual violence on campuses.