Developing and implementing survivor-centred approaches for college student-athletes: perspectives from athletic department, Title IX, and campus advocacy personnel

Background: Sexual violence (SV) is a persistent issue on US college campuses, particularly among college student-athletes. Strategies to address SV are urgently needed. Yet, prior research shows that many university practices can be more harmful than helpful to SV survivors and necessitates a reimagination of how institutions support SV survivors. Survivor-centred approaches may be one way to effectively address SV for students, including student-athletes, across college campuses.Objective: This qualitative study explored campus personnel experiences with and perceptions of survivor-centred SV prevention and intervention policies and practices on college campuses and examined how these approaches serve SV survivors, including college student-athletes.Methods: As part of a larger study on campus SV and student-athletes across four institutions, semi-structured interviews with 22 representatives from athletic departments, campus advocacy, and Title IX were conducted. Guided by phenomenology, a thematic analysis approach was used to identify key patterns in survivor-centred SV prevention and intervention policies and practices. Participant demographic data were analysed descriptively.Results: Most participants identified as white (72.2%), heterosexual (63.6%), women (68.2%), and were an average of 41.8 years old (SD = 10.2). The majority were in positions associated with athletic departments (63.6%), and they had been in their role for an average of 5.6 years (SD = 6.6). Through thematic analysis, three main themes were identified: (1) education & accessibility; (2) interpersonal relationships & individual well-being; and (3) campus and societal norms.Conclusions: The findings from this study highlight clear policy and practice recommendations for survivor-centred SV prevention and intervention on college campuses, such as accessible, applicable SV training and the implementation of survivor-centred approaches. Further research is needed to understand existing survivor-centred practices and the facilitators and barriers to their implementation across institutions and within athletic departments. Sexual violence is a persistent issue on US college campuses, particularly among college student-athletes. Strategies to address SV are urgently needed. Survivor-centred approaches may offer solutions to better serve survivors of sexual violence, including student-athletes.Through interviews with athletic department, Title IX, and campus advocacy personnel, three themes were identified related to developing and implementing survivor-centred approaches: (1) education & accessibility; (2) interpersonal relationships & individual well-being; and (3) campus and societal norms.Further research is needed to understand existing survivor-centred practices and the facilitators and barriers to their implementation across institutions, particularly for college student-athletes. Antecedentes: La violencia sexual (VS) es un problema persistente en los campus universitarios de EE.UU., especialmente entre los estudiantes-atletas universitarios. Se necesitan urgentemente estrategias para hacer frente a la VS. Sin embargo, investigaciones previas muestran que muchas practicas universitarias pueden ser mas perjudiciales que utiles para los sobrevivientes de la VS y requiere una repensar como las instituciones apoyan a los sobrevivientes de VS. Los enfoques centrados en el sobreviviente pueden ser una forma de abordar eficazmente la VS para los estudiantes, incluidos los estudiantes-atletas, en todos los campus universitarios.Objetivo: Este estudio cualitativo exploro las experiencias y percepciones del personal del campus sobre las politicas y practicas de prevencion e intervencion de la VS centradas en el sobreviviente en los campus universitarios y examino como estos enfoques sirven a los sobrevivientes de la VS, incluidos los estudiantes universitarios-atletas.Metodos: Como parte de un estudio mas amplio sobre la violencia domestica en los campus y los estudiantes atletas de cuatro instituciones, se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a 22 representantes de los departamentos de deportes, apoyo del campus y del Titulo IX. Guiado por la fenomenologia, se utilizo un enfoque de analisis tematico para identificar patrones clave en las politicas y practicas de prevencion e intervencion de la violencia sexual centrada en los sobrevivientes. Los datos demograficos de los participantes se analizaron de forma descriptiva.Resultados: La mayoria de los participantes se identificaron como blancos (72,2%), heterosexuales (63,6%), mujeres (68,2%) y tenian una media de 41,8 anos (DE = 10,2). La mayoria ocupaba puestos relacionados con departamentos de atletismo (63,6%) y llevaba en su puesto una media de 5,6 anos (DE = 6,6). A traves del analisis tematico, se identificaron tres temas principales: (1) educacion y accesibilidad; (2) relaciones interpersonales y bienestar individual; y (3) campus y normas sociales.Conclusiones: Los resultados de este estudio ponen de relieve recomendaciones claras en materia de politicas y practicas para la prevencion e intervencion de la VS centrada en el sobreviviente en los campus universitarios, como la capacitacion accesible y aplicable en materia de VS y la aplicacion de enfoques centrados en el sobreviviente. Se necesita mas investigacion para comprender las practicas centradas en el sobreviviente existentes y los facilitadores y barreras para su implementacion en todas las instituciones y dentro de los departamentos deportivos.