Racial Differences in Sexual Assault and Its Effects

Background: There is a dearth of research exploring the unique experiences of sexual assault of marginalized and minoritized students. It is important to explore how social identity impacts a person’s risk of experiencing sexual assault, and its traumatic effects. Historically, marginalized communities have been excluded from sexual violence research that typically centers the experiences of white straight cisgender women. Therefore, there is a critical gap in our understanding of the prevalence of sexual assault and its effects among people of color. This analysis sought to understand racial differences in the prevalence and effects of sexual assault among a sample of college students of color.

Methods: This research is an analysis of secondary data from a Mid-Atlantic university to understand why some students are more likely than others to develop problems associated with substance misuse, and difficulties with psychological health. Undergraduate students responded to survey questions about their health behaviors, mental well-being, and substance use. Students (n=9,757) were asked if they had experienced a sexual assault in the past twelve months, if they had experienced other unwanted sexual experiences in the past 12 months, and questions about effects on their health behaviors and help seeking.

Results: There were differences in the number of students who indicated they had experienced a sexual assault and/or other unwanted sexual experience. Of the 6,214 respondents of color, 6% experienced an unwanted sexual encounter. Of the 248 students who reported a sexual assault, 112 were students of color. Of the 924 students that identified they had experienced other unwanted sexual experiences, 388 were students of color. This was a statistically significant difference in experiences of sexual assault (t(7, 9644)= 3.263, p<.01 and other unwanted sexual experiences (t(7, 9637)= 6.748, p<.001) based on race. There were also differences in post-violence effects. Results demonstrated significant differences in mental health outcomes, including being concerned/anxious for their safety, reports of suicidal thoughts, reports of self-injury and having nightmares; with White students most likely to report these symptoms. Race also played a role in missed school; Asian students were the least likely to miss school. There were also significant differences in using support services and having support, including using advocacy care, having someone good to talk to in a crisis, and someone to confide in. Overall, White students were less likely to use support services; while Asian students were more likely to have social support. Issues of systemic problems also arose, with Black students reporting significantly different instances of trouble with police. Race was also a predictor of experiencing a sexual assault; with race being a significant predictor for those who identified as Native American/Indigenous.

Implications: This study demonstrates that race plays a role in the experiences of sexual assault. For example, there may be cultural differences that play a role in how much students seek support from formal systems. There need to be cultural and racial considerations when examining experiences of sexual violence. Gaining this understanding can inform the development of culturally informed prevention programs and intervention services.