Sexual Assault Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg: Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevalence in College Students

ABSTRACT

With the advent of the “Dear Colleague” letter in 2011, higher education institutions have become focused on sexual assault and related policies, procedures regarding offenses, and prevention education. Institutions should consider using this spotlight on interpersonal dynamics to increase awareness about other types of relationship violence that may be more common. This secondary data analysis of 72,067 U.S. college students indicates stalking, emotional abuse, and physical abuse are very common. Along with relationship difficulties in general, these forms of relational violence occur more frequently than sexual assault. Implications for counseling and mental health services are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic impact
• college students
• relationship violence
• sexual assault
• sexual violence

Disclaimer

The opinions, findings, and conclusions presented/reported in this article are those of the authors, and are in no way meant to represent the corporate opinions, views, or policies of the American College Health Association (ACHA). ACHA does not warrant nor assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information presented in this article/presentation.