Sexual Victimization Among College Students in a Rural Setting

With victimization reporting rates being vastly under-representative (as low as five percent), criminal justice scholars have begun to measure and examine sexual victimization of women across the country. It’s been found that peak ages of both offenders and victims range between 16-24 years old, putting youth at the highest risk for being both victims and offenders. Scholars have focused on university students as a unique subset of youth culture, typically finding it has increased rates of risky behavior, such as binge-drinking and drug use, and exposure to potential offenders. The current study examines student behavior, looking for certain factors that may increase a student’s likelihood of being a victim of sexual offenses. The presentation can give students and victim resources a picture of what victimization looks like on campus and ways of avoiding high risk situations. (Editor’s Note: This presentation may contain adult themes, content, or imagery.