Party frequency, party-safety strategies, and sexual victimization among first-year female college students

Abstract

Objective: This study examined whether the use of party-safety strategies weakens the association between frequency of party attendance and sexual victimization among first-year female college students. Participants: First-year female college students (n = 450) from three universities in the United States participated in this study. Methods: Participants completed questionnaires on frequency of party attendance, use of party-safety strategies, and sexual victimization. Results: Frequency of party attendance was positively associated with sexual victimization. This association was moderated by use of party-safety strategies: frequency of party attendance was unrelated to sexual victimization when students reported greater use of party-safety strategies. However, frequency of party attendance was positively related to sexual victimization when students reported lower use of party-safety strategies. Conclusions: Teaching and reinforcing party-safety strategies may be helpful additions to efforts to prevent sexual victimization on college campuses.

Keywords:

• College students
• party safety
• sexual assault
• sexual violence prevention
• victimization

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Boards of Southern Methodist University, William Paterson University, and Marquette University.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, R21 HD085063 (PIs: Jouriles and McDonald). The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the sponsor.