Citation

Kaufman MR, Tsang SW, Sabri B, Budhathoki C, Campbell J. Psychol. Sex. 2019; 10(1): 56-68.

Affiliation

Department of Community-Public Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, jcampbe1@jhu.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/19419899.2018.1552184

PMID

31413786

PMCID

PMC6693667

Abstract

The current study examines the association between multiple interpersonal violence victimization types experienced in a university setting and the consequences for each type. Students at a mid-Atlantic university (n = 3977) completed a survey in 2015 assessing attitudes, experiences, consequences of (physical, behavioural, academic, mental), and university resources and reporting procedures for sexual assault, harassment, and intimate partner violence. Effect on mental health was the most cited consequence for all victimization types. Sexual harassment was reported by the largest number of students but with smaller percentages of students reporting consequences, while the opposite was true for sexual assault and multiple forms of abuse (smaller numbers experiencing; larger percentages reporting consequences). In the adjusted models, being in an abusive/controlling relationship and sexual harassment were significantly associated with physical health consequences (ps <.001). Sexual harassment was the only predictor of substance use (p <.001). Being an undergraduate and experiencing an abusive/controlling relationship, sexual harassment, or assault were associated with sexual risk behaviour (all ps <.05). These findings point to a need for holistic approaches to helping students heal from interpersonal victimization-approaches that include mental health services, attention to increased substance use and sexual risk, and monitoring academic performance.

Language: en

Keywords

interpersonal violence; mental health; sexual assault; sexual harassment; sexual risk behaviour; substance use