Research Briefs

Sexual violence and sexual harassment (SVSH) are pervasive on college campuses across the United States (US). While some resources are available to support survivors of SVSH at these institutions, our Survivors + Allies (S+A) study showed many students had low knowledge and awareness of these resources and what they offer. Even in instances where students were aware of a resource, our findings revealed that many students were confused about whether the resource was confidential or non-confidential. Yet students that identified as survivors and utilized resources had much better experiences and perceptions of confidential resources compared to non-confidential resources.

Resources that are specifically designated as “confidential” are critical support services for survivors of SVSH. In a previous study by Loney-Howes et al., researchers showed how confidentiality can encourage survivors to utilize support services. Confidential resources allow for a safe space in which survivors can share their experience and receive support—free of judgment or pressure to report their experiences to authorities. Confidential resources are not mandated to report student experiences of harm, and employees at confidential resources are not mandated reporters or deemed as “responsible employees,” unlike that of non-confidential, reporting, and investigative resources. Mandated reporters are employees (e.g., faculty, managers/supervisors, Teaching Assistants (TAs), and staff) that are legally required to report certain types of harm, abuse, and/or neglect to the authorities or other designated officials. They make up a significant portion of employees in the UC system, and include both administrators and teaching staff.

Resources like the Campus Assault Resources & Education (CARE) program, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or other school counseling centers, and the Office of the Ombuds (which is not available at every UC campus) are the only on-campus confidential UC resources that do not require the mandated reporting of instances of SVSH. When seeking support from a confidential resource, a student can receive help whether or not they choose to make an official report with an officer, engage with the justice system by taking legal action, or file a complaint to the University. No further investigation is required by the advocates or counselors that are employed by these organizations as they are not designated mandated reporters. With this in mind, these confidential support resources tend to utilize a survivor-centered and trauma-informed approach to address instances of SVSH.

Conversely, both the UC Police Department (UCPD) and Title IX offices are non-confidential resources. Compared to confidential resources, when receiving support from a non-confidential resource, employees who are informed by a survivor of their experience are obligated to report the incident, thereby triggering an investigation that is not confidential. When interacting with UC resources like Title IX or UCPD, survivors must usually go through an extensive process to file an official report or open a case in order to receive support or utilize the resource.

It is clear that UCPD and other campus police departments play a role in responding to reports of SVSH when survivors choose to report an incident to law enforcement or Title IX, but involving police does not always serve survivors. For example, involving police can cause “revictimization”. Further, research indicates that student survivors are significantly less likely to report incidents of SVSH to campus police compared to Title IX or peers, due to concerns with privacy and confidentiality, as well as fears of victim-blaming during the reporting or investigative process. Despite these findings, both Title IX and UCPD are positioned as frontline resources for survivors of SVSH on college campuses.

College campuses should move toward positioning survivor-centered, trauma-informed, confidential resources as frontline resources for survivors of SVSH. Research suggests that concerns with confidentiality create barriers to seeking help after an incident, underscoring the importance of establishing trust, understanding, privacy, and safety. However, there is variation in student knowledge on confidential resources in the UC system. This can create problems for students seeking support during a difficult time or after a traumatic event. If a student is unaware that a resource is non-confidential and seeks assistance, they may be at risk of experiencing more harm. For instance, if a student did not want to formally report an incident and went on to disclose an incident thinking it was confidential, they may feel forced to continue in the extensive reporting process, which some survivors in our study have stated to be “re-traumatizing” and unhelpful to their healing process. Given the high number of mandated reporters at UC campuses, it is imperative that survivors know where to receive confidential support. Furthermore, it is critical that confidential resources be positioned as frontline resources for survivors on college campuses, as these resources are preferred by survivors and tend to utilize a survivor-centered and trauma-informed approach to care.

Most university campuses have resources for survivors of sexual violence, such as the Title IX office or mental health services. Title IX offices are not confidential, meaning that an investigator could open a case with or without the survivors’ consent; other resources are confidential, like therapists. However, these resources are difficult for survivors to navigate, particularly in the aftermath of a traumatic event. For instance, survivor access to campus resources can look different based on whether an incident occurred on- or off-campus, and whether the student’s perpetrator is also a student at the same university. Resources are critical in supporting survivors through their healing journey; yet across the United States (U.S.), most students are unaware of campus-based resources available to them. Moreover, the students who are aware of resources are often confused about how, when, and where these resources can help them. Survivors need timely and accessible resources for their mental health and safety, such as locating temporary housing or restraining orders if they are in danger.

Marginalized student groups are particularly at risk of not knowing how to access critical resources for survivors on campus. Because we focus on these student groups in other briefs, in this brief we explore overall student awareness of four resources at the University of California (UC) campuses: Campus Assault & Resources Education (CARE), Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Title IX, and UC Police Departments (UCPD). CARE and CAPS are survivor- and mental health-focused resources that are confidential, whereas Title IX and UCPD are not confidential resources that are investigative. In other words, reporting to Title IX and UCPD initiates an investigative process that could result in punishment for the perpetrator(s). In this brief we also highlight major disparities in awareness of resources for students from underrepresented and marginalized groups.

When Title IX and university police staff are not adequately trained to work with survivors of sexual violence, it can lead to severe and negative repercussions. Survivors may experience re-traumatization due to their interactions with these institutions, compounding the initial trauma and negatively affecting their mental health, academic performance, social connections, and sense of safety. Research highlights that marginalized groups—including undocumented survivors, survivors of color, gender-diverse individuals and LGBTQIA+ survivors—are especially vulnerable to feeling unsafe, disbelieved, or dismissed by police, which discourages them from reporting incidents of sexual violence and increases risks for both themselves and the broader campus community.

Despite widespread student reports of negative experiences with Title IX investigators and university police, the Title IX office is still promoted as a primary resource for students due to legal requirements. Survivors and Allies’ 2021 survey findings revealed that only a little over half (56%) of survivors agreed that they received adequate information about the reporting process from Title IX staff. This is a common experience amongst students across universities who seek out the Title IX office as their initial resource, with many reporting a lack of clear information or transparency about the reporting process.

The institutional process that Title IX follows frequently excludes input from sexual assault researchers and advocates, limiting the use of evidence-based practices. Additionally, Title IX investigators are required to maintain neutrality, preventing them from validating survivors’ experiences, further reducing the likelihood of survivors receiving appropriate care without retraumatization. Given that high percentages of survivors of sexual violence report being re-traumatized by the Title IX process, with severe academic, social, and mental health repercussions, a more comprehensive trauma-informed training program is urgently needed for Title IX investigators and staff.