TY - JOUR
T1 - Differential perceptions of a hypothetical sexual assault survivor based on race and ethnicity
T2 - Exploring victim responsibility, trauma, and need for social support
AU - Lewis, Kaleea R.
AU - Robillard, Alyssa
AU - Billings, Deborah
AU - White, Kellee
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Carol Jones Carlisle Faculty Award, Women's & Gender Studies, University of South Carolina.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2019/5/19
Y1 - 2019/5/19
N2 - Objective: Explore the ways in which a sample of college women interpret racially/ethnically coded vignettes to understand their perceptions of responsibility and trauma experienced by a hypothetical female sexual assault survivor and her need for social support. Participants: Convenience sample of college women (N = 51) attending a large, predominately white university in the Southeastern United States recruited between January and March 2013. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned one of three vignettes describing a hypothetical date rape scenario. Vignette scenarios were identical except for discrete statements coded to signify either an African American, Latina, or white female student. Participants responded to open-ended questions that gauged their interpretations of responsibility, trauma, and social support. Results: Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses revealed six overarching themes, including overt victim blaming/shaming, justification of the sexual assault, and perceived need for social support. Conclusions: Findings point to the significance of including race in discussions about and programs that address sexual assault on college campuses to ensure that all women who experience sexual violence receive the support that they need.
AB - Objective: Explore the ways in which a sample of college women interpret racially/ethnically coded vignettes to understand their perceptions of responsibility and trauma experienced by a hypothetical female sexual assault survivor and her need for social support. Participants: Convenience sample of college women (N = 51) attending a large, predominately white university in the Southeastern United States recruited between January and March 2013. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned one of three vignettes describing a hypothetical date rape scenario. Vignette scenarios were identical except for discrete statements coded to signify either an African American, Latina, or white female student. Participants responded to open-ended questions that gauged their interpretations of responsibility, trauma, and social support. Results: Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses revealed six overarching themes, including overt victim blaming/shaming, justification of the sexual assault, and perceived need for social support. Conclusions: Findings point to the significance of including race in discussions about and programs that address sexual assault on college campuses to ensure that all women who experience sexual violence receive the support that they need.
KW - College
KW - ethnicity
KW - race
KW - sexual assault
KW - social support
KW - trauma
KW - victim responsibility
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U2 - 10.1080/07448481.2018.1472096
DO - 10.1080/07448481.2018.1472096
M3 - Article
C2 - 29952734
AN - SCOPUS:85062702240
SN - 0744-8481
VL - 67
SP - 308
EP - 317
JO - Journal of American College Health
JF - Journal of American College Health
IS - 4
ER -