The person I thought I would tell vs. the person I told: the paradox of campus sexual assault disclosure.

Abstract

Objective: College sexual assault (SA) survivors tend to underutilize university resources in favor of reporting to family or friends. The current study assessed prevalence and SA disclosure themes and patterns amongst college students. Participants: Data obtained from a campus sexual violence climate survey included 3,398 students. Method: Quantitative and qualitative data examined SA prevalence, themes of disclosure, and knowledge of university resources. Results: Although participants indicated potential utilization of university resources in the event of SA, most survivors reported disclosing to family and friends, while those who had not experienced SA indicated that they would disclose to police or campus programs. Reasons for non-disclosure to university resources among SA survivors included minimization of the SA experience and discomfort with the reporting process. Conclusions: Results demonstrate the need for universities to involve peers and families as additional sources of support for SA survivors, and the need to address barriers to reporting.