Education | WCASA

The criminal justice system is only one system a sexual assault survivor may need to navigate in the after an assault. With respect to education, each institution may have their own resources and processes for accommodating survivor needs as well as holding the offender accountable, particularly in cases in which the offender attends the same institution as the survivor.

K-12

While the issue of sexual assault on college campuses has received widespread attention, both federal and state law require that our K-12 schools develop policies to respond to sexual assault, including sexual harassment. Due to the high prevalence rates of sexual assault for children and youth, educational institutions must be prepared to effectively meet the needs of survivors in their classrooms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

42 % of female rape victims were first raped before the age of 18
29.9% of female rape victims were first raped between the ages of 11-17
12.3% of female rape victims and 27.8% of male victims were first raped when they were age 10 or younger

Resources:

Campus

Prevalence rates of sexual violence on college campuses are significant. According to the Association of American Universities (AAU):

26% of women reported nonconsensual sexual contact involving physical force/inability to consent
7% of men reported nonconsensual sexual contact involving physical force/inability to consent
23% of Transgender/genderqueer/nonbinary students reported nonconsensual sexual contact involving physical force/inability to consent

While campuses have a responsibility to respond to and prevent sexual violence, survivors are also faced with navigating complex educational systems when seeking accommodation or accountability. Furthermore, shifting guidance from the federal government regarding how campuses must respond to sexual violence has led to increased uncertainty in legal landscape impacting both the institution and survivors.

For information on training, technical assistance, or resources related to campus sexual assault, please contact Kelly Moe Litke, Associate Director.

WCASA has also created a campus sexual assault listserv to build a network connecting campuses to one another and to sexual assault service providers. It’s a great place to share and request resources!

The resources below are organized by topic. Several resources are comprehensive and contain information on several topics, so they appear multiple times on this list. Whenever possible, we’ve tried to direct you to the topical sections within a comprehensive resource.

Research and Data

How Prevalent is Campus Sexual Assault in the United States? (National Institute of Justice) | a brief report that explains why prevalence rates may vary and provides recommendations for prevention and response strategies.
Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct (Association of American Universities) | findings from the Campus Climate Survey, conducted at 27 colleges and universities, including UW-Madison.
Campus Sexual Assault Media Packet (NSVRC) | short compilation of sexual assault statistics on college campus. An explanation of Title IX and the Clery Act can also be found here.
The Sexual Victimization of College Women (National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics) | a survey of college females to understand the prevalence of sexual victimization on campuses.
The Campus Sexual Assault Study (National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS)) | a study on the nature and prevalence of sexual assault of all genders at the university level.
Alcohol and Sexual Violence Perpetration (National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women) | information on the link between alcohol and sexual violence exploring both psychological and pharmacological impacts.
The Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Victimization (National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women) | this study delves into the link between alcohol and the perpetrator as well as the use of alcohol by the victim as a coping strategy after the assault.
Climate Surveys: Useful Tools to Help Colleges and Universities in Their Efforts to Reduce and Prevent Sexual Assault (White House Not Alone Report 2014) | a document detailing how to create helpful climate surveys on college campuses to address the problem of sexual assault.

Advocacy

Know Your IX - Know Your IX is a survivor-and youth-led project of Advocates for Youth that aims to empower students to end sexual and dating violence in their schools.
CAPPA (Campus Advocates and Prevention Professionals Association) | national membership organization providing resources, webinars, listservs, and Facebook page for campus professionals to connect.
Advocacy under the Campus SaVE Act: Addressing Gender Violence on Campus (WCASA, 2015) | webinar by SurvJustice Founder Laura Dunn, Esq. on special considerations for campus advocacy under new federal legislation.
The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting: 2016 Edition (U.S. Dept. of Education) | an extensive handbook to help universities comply with the Clery Act regulations.
Campus Sexual Violence Resource List (NSVRC)

Policy

Know Your IX FAQ – This resource contains answers to frequently asked questions regarding the final Title IX rule recently released by the Dept. of Education.
NWLC New Title IX Rule, Explained – This resource from the National Women’s Law Center is a step-by-step walkthrough of what the new rule means and how it departs from the Department’s previous policy.
WCASA Statement on Title IX Rules 5.6.20 - WCASA statement on the final Title IX rule issued by the Department of Education.
Key Findings from “Exploring Alcohol Policy Approaches to Prevent Sexual Violence Perpetration” (NSVRC) | building on research linking alcohol use and sexual violence, this document delves into how policy around alcohol can decrease the prevalence of sexual assault.

Prevention

Shifting the Paradigm: Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence (American College Health Association (ACHA)) | a comprehensive guide for college campuses to help employ prevention strategies, including information on bystander intervention, men’s roles in prevention and much more.
Matrix of Online, Performance-based, and Workshop/Mixed Method Prevention Strategies for Campuses (Culture of Respect) | a set of tables that makes it easy to quickly assess what components are included in popular prevention strategies marketed to campuses, as well as the level of evidence supporting that strategy.
Selecting the Right Online Module for Interpersonal Violence Prevention (PreventConnect Campus) | a webinar and accompanying toolkit (found on this page under “Session Materials”) to guide selection of online educational modules for violence prevention.
Climate Surveys: Useful Tools to Help Colleges and Universities in Their Efforts to Reduce and Prevent Sexual Assault (White House Not Alone Report 2014) | a document detailing how to create helpful climate surveys on college campuses to address the problem of sexual assault.
Preventing and Responding to Campus Sexual Violence | A NSVRC and Resource Sharing Project infographic on responding to campus sexual assault
It’s On Us Campaign – Vice-President Joe Biden’s campaign to encourage students to be active bystanders. Site includes a pledge, videos, and other resources/materials.
Getting Started on Campus: Tips for New Prevention Coordinators (Higher Education Center for AODA and Violence Prevention) | Guiding tips and resources for new preventionists on campuses.
Improving Campus Sexual Assault Prevention: A Best Practice Guide for Administrative Leadership (EverFi) | a guide for prevention at the college level, which delves into programming strategies, how to fund and detailed examples of events to implement.
Sexual Assault Prevention on U.S. College Campuses: A National Scan (PreventConnect Campus) | a report on campus SA prevention nationwide, including discussion of mandates and regulations, challenges and opportunities, analysis of widely used prevention programs, and other considerations.
CAPPA (Campus Advocates and Prevention Professionals Association) | national membership organization providing resources, webinars, listservs, and Facebook page for campus professionals to connect.
Sexual Violence on Campus: Strategies for Prevention (CDC) | An overview of how to approach sexual violence prevention on college campuses with real-world examples from the field
“Addressing Alcohol’s Role in Campus Sexual Assault: A Toolkit by and for Prevention Specialists | preventconnect.org
End Rape on Campus
Sexual Violence on Campus: Strategies for Prevention
Enhancing Campus Sexual Assault Prevention Efforts Through Situational Interventions

Stay connected...

...via the Campus Listserv. You can also manage your listserv subscriptions under your profile in the upper left corner.