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Twenty-five survivors completed anonymous surveys about reporting sexual and gender-based misconduct to their public university's Title IX office, including case characteristics, perceptions of the reporting and response process (e.g., helpfulness, respect), and experiences of institutional betrayal and support. Measures and open-ended responses described varied misconduct incidents, reporting behaviors, case outcomes, process issues, and negative process consequences. Additionally, process perceptions correlated with institutional betrayal and support. Findings illuminate how survivors' Title IX process perceptions relate to experiencing harm or support from larger institutions, and offer insights into developing a Title IX process which maintains student rights and dignity regardless of outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disparities in physical and mental health have been well documented between plurisexual and monosexual women, but protective factors related to plurisexual identity remain largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed to provide an in-depth examination of the nature and perceived effects of plurisexual women's bipositive experiences, to the extent that others may apply knowledge gained to intentionally foster bipositivity. We recruited 25 plurisexual women to complete a qualitative interview. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified 4 themes across participant descriptions of bipositive experiences, including (1) "Me too!" bonding, (2) Showing up: Acceptance and affirmation from monosexual allies, (3) "Ports in the storm": The importance of queer spaces, and (4) Rosa is bi: Plurisexual representation in the media. Across themes, participants experienced positive social and psychological outcomes resulting from their bipositive experiences. Our findings have implications for developing interventions, supports, and consciousness-raising efforts to foster bipositivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many universities have implemented mandatory reporting policies requiring most employees to report sexual harassment to the Title IX office, even if the victim/survivor does not want them to. Such policies constrain survivor autonomy and are particularly relevant for graduate students, who work closely with designated mandated reporter employees. This study examined graduate student sexual harassment survivors' experiences disclosing to mandatory reporters, including interactions with mandatory reporters and the outcomes of their reports. We conducted interviews with graduate student survivors whose experiences were reported to their university's Title IX office and analyzed data from the cases involving a mandated report. Using thematic analysis, we identified three themes: survivors lacked knowledge that they were disclosing to a mandatory reporter, mandatory reporters lacked knowledge about Title IX processes, and mandatory reporters provided support. When analyzing outcomes of mandated reports, most did not result in formal grievance procedures, and the few that were investigated and adjudicated did not result in meaningful sanctions. Accommodations were rarely used, because they were not offered, were not perceived as helpful, or their requests were denied. Findings suggest that the purported goals of mandatory reporting policies were not met and that polices should afford survivors more autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Queer women are at high risk of college sexual victimization, but they face barriers to formal support services. As a result, informal support is critical. This study uses data from 40 open-ended interviews to explore family members' reactions to queer women's disclosures and examine whether their family is a reliable source of informal support. Findings indicate that family reactions are often more harmful than helpful. In comparison to research focused on heterosexual survivors, we find family reactions to be more extreme and disparaging of queer survivors' sexual identities. In fact, family members' negative reactions may pose barriers to accessing formal services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined two cognitive appraisals—labeling (identifying an unwanted sexual experience as sexual violence) and self-blame—as potential mechanisms between survivor alcohol use before sexual violence and three help-seeking barriers (minimization, negative treatment, and social-emotional barriers) among non-service-seeking sexual violence survivors. Participants were 141 undergraduate women who completed self-report measures. Three parallel mediation models were tested. Survivors who were drinking were more likely to label their victimization as sexual violence and, in turn, perceived fewer minimization and greater social-emotional barriers. Further, survivors who were drinking blamed themselves more and, in turn, perceived greater negative treatment and social-emotional barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual harassment of graduate students is prevalent, yet little is known about their experiences reporting sexual harassment to their university. We conducted interviews with 32 graduate students who reported sexual harassment to Title IX to understand how survivors' experiences of harassment align with report outcomes. Nearly all participants experienced severe, education-limiting consequences of the harassment and reported to ensure safety and restore educational access. Most reports were deemed unactionable and findings of responsibility were rare, demonstrating a disconnect between survivors' experiences and Title IX outcomes. Our analysis suggests that Title IX practitioners rely on notions of "severity" rather than harassment consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In institutions of higher education, mandatory reporting policies require certain employees to report students' sexual assault disclosures to university officials, even if the student does not want to report. It is commonly assumed that these policies will benefit survivors, but there is a paucity of research to substantiate this assumption. The current study examined college sexual assault survivors' perceptions of mandatory reporting policies, including three specific policy approaches (Universal, Selective, Student‐Directed). Interviews were conducted with 40 college sexual assault survivors and thematic analysis was used to analyze these data. Results found that the mandatory reporting policy approaches that survivors prefer, which limit the number of mandatory reporters and offer more autonomy and flexibility, do not align with the policy approaches most frequently implemented within institutions of higher education (i.e., Universal). Survivors anticipated more harms resulting from mandatory reporting than benefits (e.g., pushing survivors into disclosures before they are ready, increasing stress and anxiety, discouraging help‐seeking from trusted sources of support on campus). Survivors lacked substantive knowledge of their university's mandatory reporting policy. Findings suggest that policy makers at institutional, state, and federal levels should consider survivors' perspectives when crafting such policies and institutions should increase educational efforts about mandatory reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]