Journal Article

“Realistic and Inclusive”: A Qualitative Investigation into Recommendations for Responding to Campus Interpersonal Violence Centering LGBTQ + Voices

Mennicke, Annelise, Yoder, Anna, McMillan, Iris F., Bowling, Jessamyn, Post, Abigail, Benson, Kevin, Willard, Jessica

2025

Overview

Purpose LGBTQ + college students experience interpersonal violence at disproportionately high rates, underscoring the need for college campuses to provide inclusive violence prevention and intervention services. We sought to examine similarities and differences in barriers to accessing campus-based services and recommendations for campus-based violence prevention and intervention service between LGBTQ + college students compared to cisgender heterosexual college students. Methods Open-ended responses to the question on an annual campus climate survey were analyzed from 273 victims of sexual or sexuality-based harassment, sexual violence, dating violence, or stalking. Data were coded using a content analysis approach, with each excerpt being coded by two trained researchers. Results Two major themes emerged: barriers to accessing campus-based resources and recommendations for campus-based resources. Subthemes within barriers included tacit barriers (including off-campus experiences not warranting on-campus responses and dismissal of violence experiences) and explicit barriers (including lack of knowledge about services, reputation of services, and gender). Recommendations for campus-based services included themes of content and outreach, who to train, and additional resources. Many themes were raised by both LGBTQ + students and cisgender heterosexual students, whereas others were unique to either subgroup. Conclusions Universities should consider these themes when developing prevention and intervention services. This includes engaging in awareness campaigns to advertise services to all types of victims (including men and LGBTQ + individuals), as well as integrating content around intersectionality and fetishization into trainings.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Advertisements / Barriers / Campuses / Cisgender / Clinical Psychology / College campuses / College students / Colleges & universities / Content analysis / Criminology and Criminal Justice / Dismissal / Educational aspects / Harassment / Heterosexuality / Interpersonal relations / Intersectionality / Intervention / Intimate partner violence / Law and Psychology / LGBTQ people / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Original Article / Prevention / Prevention programs / Psychotherapy and Counseling / Qualitative research / Quality of Life Research / Resources / Responses / School violence / Services / Sex crimes / Sexual harassment / Sexual violence / Sexuality / Stalking / Victims / Violence