Confronting Campus Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence: A Comprehensive Guide

By Helen W. Wilson and Christina T. Khan

The alarming reality of campus sexual assault and intimate partner violence demands immediate attention. According to surveys, approximately 20% of female-identified and 5% of male-identified college students experience sexual assault, while 10% of all students suffer from psychological or physical abuse by an intimate partner. The statistics are even more staggering for trans, nonbinary, and other gender-expansive students.

The devastating consequences of these crimes can include emotional distress, difficulty concentrating on academic work, mood changes, excessive substance use, and self-harming behaviors. It is essential to take an emergent and holistic approach to preventing, addressing, and mitigating the effects of campus sexual and relationship violence.

A Comprehensive Guide to Addressing Campus Sexual Violence

Facing Campus Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence With Courage offers a multidisciplinary approach, combining knowledge from psychiatry, college mental health, and higher education to provide a comprehensive guide to addressing this critical issue. This guide is divided into four sections, examining:

• Prevention strategies from early childhood to higher education, focusing on establishing a foundation for consensual, nonviolent relationships.
• Systems of response and care, including institutional responses, Title IX policy, and models of trauma-informed campus care.
• Clinical interventions for survivors of campus sexual violence, including a chapter dedicated to graduate students, as well as perpetrators.
• Support for students from marginalized communities, including queer and gender-expansive students and students of color.

This guide also bravely confronts the underlying power imbalances and systems of oppression, including White supremacy, racism, patriarchy, homophobia, and transphobia, that perpetuate sexual and relationship violence. By doing so, it provides a roadmap for institutions of higher education and mental health professionals to dismantle these systems of oppression and create a safer, more inclusive environment for all students.

Book Details:

• Publisher: Amer Psychiatric Pub Inc
• Edition: 1st edition (January 26, 2023)
• Language: English
• Pages: 282
• ISBN-10: 1615374434
• ISBN-13: 978-1615374434

This comprehensive guide is an invaluable resource for institutions of higher education, mental health professionals, and policymakers committed to addressing and preventing campus sexual assault and relationship violence.