Sexual violence at university: accounts of student association representatives

Abstract

Sexual violence among students occurs generally during “pranks”, sport events and social gatherings promoted by student associations. The aim of this study was to investigate how representatives of university athletics associations and academic centers understand, identify and deal with sexual violence at university. We interviewed 38 representatives, who answered trigger questions about sexual violence at university. Physical sexual harassment at parties was the most commonly reported form of violence, while rape was the least mentioned form. Most victims resorted to course coordinators to report cases of sexual violence, with few being aware of the official reporting channels and specialized services. While there are some ad-hoc initiatives, activities organized by student associations could help to curb sexual violence if supported and institutionally coordinated via a university policy to combat sexual and gender-based violence.