UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has released the results of its 2022 Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey, a comprehensive University-wide survey which has been completed every three years to assess students’ experiences with and attitudes about sexual misconduct. The findings will provide direction to continue efforts to prevent and address sexual violence within the University community.
According to the survey results, 19.6% of undergraduates and 7.7% of graduate/professional students at University Park reported being the victim of at least one instance or attempt of sexual assault, which is a slight increase (0.6%) for both student populations since the 2018 survey. These findings vary by campus and results are available for review.
“Sexual violence is unacceptable anywhere in society, but sadly it occurs and we are committed to doing all we can to eliminate it on our campus. As we continue to advance creating a safe and supportive campus climate around sexual misconduct, it is important to understand students’ experiences, to measure change over time, and to understand how different groups are impacted by sexual misconduct,” said Andrea Dowhower, interim vice president for Student Affairs. “This survey provides us with the findings to inform educational programs, support services and other interventions that can hopefully make a difference in the lives of our students.”
The survey, completed in spring 2022, is a key tool in ongoing efforts to inform policy; student support and resources; and educational programming across the University, aimed at reducing sexual misconduct and improving the experience of all Penn State students. It was one of 18 recommendations made by the Task Force on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment, created in 2014 to study the University’s resources for addressing sexual misconduct.
The 2022 survey was completed by a representative sample of 7,352 students University-wide, including both undergraduates and graduate students at 23 of Penn State's 24 locations. At University Park, 15,000 undergraduates and 3,987 graduate/professional students received the survey, with the response rate at University Park at 17.8% among undergraduates and 27.1% among graduate students.
Anonymous, voluntary and completed electronically, the survey covered a range of topics, from whether a student feels safe from sexual harassment on or around campus, to whether the student is aware of resources, to a student’s experience with intimate partner and domestic violence.
University Park findings include:
- 52.2% of undergraduates and 63% of graduate/professional students agreed the University would take a report of sexual misconduct seriously.
- 83.6% of undergraduates and 79.9% of graduate/professional students said the University would maintain the privacy of the person making the report.
- 45.4% of undergraduates and 56.6% of graduate/professional students are aware of where to go to make a report of sexual misconduct.
- Across all student levels, gender identities and sexual orientations, students reported the highest level of awareness of University Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services as available resources.
- 19.1% of undergraduates and 12.1% of graduate/professional students reported being a victim of at least one act of dating or intimate partner violence.
- Among undergraduates, 30.9% of women, 12.5% of men and 24.6% of gender diverse survey respondents said they had experienced at least one stalking behavior.
- Among graduate/professional students, 11.9% of women, 2.7% of men and 12.2% of gender diverse survey respondents said they had been the victim of at least one instance of sexual assault or attempt.
- Among undergraduate students who reported experiencing any type of sexual misconduct, 52.6% of women, 35.8% of men and 50% of gender diverse students reported telling someone about the incident or incidents.
- 32% of undergraduates and 19.8% of graduate and professional students said they “always” or “most of the time” asked someone who looks very upset at a party if they are okay or need help, if they had been a bystander in that situation.
Other survey topics included students’ perceptions about the University’s response to reports of sexual misconduct, their friends’ attitudes regarding appropriate behavior, how safe they feel, their awareness of resources available to assist students, and whether they had been pressured to establish an unwanted romantic or sexual relationship.
The 2022 Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey was based on the Administration Researcher Campus Climate Collaborative (ARC3) survey, which was based on suggestions made by the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. Penn State’s survey was administered by the Office of Student Affairs Research and Assessment, a unit of Penn State Student Affairs, which partnered with DatStat, a data research company the University has worked with on other survey projects.
“Since I joined Penn State in November as Title IX coordinator, I have had the opportunity to begin collaboration with partners across campuses and in the community,” said Amber Grove, Penn State’s Title IX coordinator. “We are engaged in ongoing assessment to identify our strengths and isolate areas for enhanced focus. I look forward to continuing that work, including preparing a future-oriented strategic plan, informed by the results of this survey.”
The results of the survey will be used to guide University efforts to address challenges and needs as conversations with students, faculty, staff and the community continue.
“Because power-based personal violence takes various forms and often differentially affects our historically underrepresented communities — such as those who identify as women, sexual and gender diverse, and racially diverse — we plan to continue reviewing the data and to partner with members of various communities to determine ways we can enhance our support, resources and collective prevention efforts,” Dowhower said.
Penn State has continued to make progress in many areas related to sexual misconduct prevention and response, including increased staffing, additional education and prevention measures, and continued review of policies and processes.
The Gender Equity Center has hired two full-time positions to continue to expand services and support for all students. A survivor advocate has been hired to support any student who has experienced sexual misconduct, relationship violence, harassment or stalking, thereby increasing the center staff to three full-time advocates available to work with students. A program coordinator for Men’s Engagement and Peer Education has also been added to provide access to equitable and inclusive resources. A new, evidence-based curriculum is being developed and implemented to increase education, enhance prevention efforts, and support survivors. The Gender Equity Center ambassador training for faculty and staff, peer education through It’s On Us Penn State and Greeks Care, and more than 17 other training programs and workshops are available and offered regularly.
The Gender Equity Center has also assumed the bystander intervention responsibilities, formerly under Stand for State, and added new training and education opportunities. In addition, the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity is now available for students as an additional confidential resource.
In addition, a student advisory committee is in the formative stages through the Coalition to Address Relationship and Sexual Violence (CARSV). The committee will work with CARSV to provide feedback about all aspects of support and procedure, including reviewing and enhancing our informal resolution process, among other items that directly affect both parties involved in Title IX matters as well as the Penn State community.