Campus Sexual Assault Responses (CSAR): Informing Trauma-Informed Policies, Protocols, and Training

• NCJ Number: 308455
• Author(s): Elizabeth Mumford; Bruce Taylor; Weiwei Liu; Shannon Nelson; Caroline Lancaster; Megan Cotter; Meghan O’Leary; Kai MacLean; Veronica Pletsch
• Date Published: December 2023
• Length: 21 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2019-VA-CX-K001
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

This report describes a research study aimed at identifying effective models of campus sexual assault prevention and response, understanding the components that make those models successful, and exploring the extent to which campuses are implementing trauma-informed approaches into their prevention and response efforts.

Abstract

This paper reports on a mixed-methods research study that was designed to identify effective model of campus sexual assault prevention and response, and to understand the components of such models that make them useful. The study had four research objectives: first, to collaboratively design survey instruments to capture the answers to the most pressing questions about best practices for trauma-informed campus responses to campus sexual assault (CSA); second, to collect and analyze nationally representative survey data from 1,000 campuses, reaching out to the CPSA and CHWC on each campus, designed to be representative of public and private, two- and four-year, urban and rural institutions across the U.S.; third, to investigate and identify the strongest CSA response models under real-world conditions on five campuses; and fourth, to disseminate the survey and case study results to key audiences through a multifaceted dissemination plan reaching CPSA, CHWC, campus leadership, Title IX officers, advocacy organizations, policymakers, CSA and higher education researchers, and CSA preventionists and service professionals. The report concludes that the mixed methods approach to the Campus Sexual Assault Responses Study (CSAR) provides insights for future research and discusses implications of the researchers' successful approach to fielding an instrument with multiple modules for different campus sectors.