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Abstract
Sexual assault is a prevalent problem in higher education, and despite the increasing
availability of formal supports on college campuses, few sexual assault survivors
use them. Experiencing sexual assault can have devastating consequences on survivors'
psychological and educational wellbeing, which may intensify if survivors do not receive
adequate care. Drawing from existing theoretical frameworks and empirical research,
this study used a mixed methodological approach to examine why survivors did not use
three key campus supports-the Title IX Office, the sexual assault center, and housing
staff-and if these reasons differed across the three supports. Using data from 284
women who experienced sexual assault in college, our qualitative findings identified
four overarching themes, including logistical issues (e.g., lacking time and knowledge),
feelings, beliefs, and responses that made it seem unacceptable to use campus supports,
judgments about the appropriateness of the support, and alternative methods of coping.
Quantitative findings revealed that survivors' reasons for not seeking help differed
across supports. Collectively, our findings suggest that community norms and institutional
policies can make it challenging for survivors to use campus supports. We propose
several suggestions for institutional change (e.g., taking a stronger stance against
"less serious" forms of sexual assault, reducing a quasi-criminal justice approach
to investigation and adjudication, limiting mandated reporting).