College Students and Their Knowledge and Perceptions About Sexual Assault

Because college women are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault, it is imperative to understand the knowledge college students possess about sexual assault. They may possess potentially problematic perceptions that contribute to the perpetuation of sexual violence. Quantitative survey data was collected from 18 to 25 year old college students as part of a larger qualitative study to examine the attitudes and beliefs about sexual assault among college students. The current research examines the knowledge college students have about sexual assault using an adapted survey. Results demonstrate that college students are inconsistent in their knowledge about sexual assault. They possess both accurate and problematic understandings of sexual assault. This data furthers our understanding of what college students believe about sexual assault. It also demonstrates a need to address problematic beliefs into current sexual assault prevention programming in order to target those attitudes that can lead to sexual violence.