Examining the Association Between a United States Federal Grant and Reports of On-Campus Sexual Violence

Abstract

This investigation aimed to examine the association of the Office on Violence Against Women's (OVW) Campus Program grant on the reporting of on-campus sexual violence crimes: Clery Act forcible sex offenses and Violence Against Women offenses. Clery Act crime data was analyzed from 72 Campus Program grant recipients before, during, and after the grant cycle. Findings indicate higher reporting during grant implementation, with notable decreases postgrant cycle. The results provide evidence that Campus Program grantees should prepare for an increase in the reporting of sexual violence during grant implementation years. Sustainability challenges postgrant underscore the need for strategic planning postgrant cycle.

Keywords

Campus Program grant Clery Act Violence Against Women Act higher education

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Amar

A. F.

Strout

T. D.

Simpson

Cardiello

Beckford

(2014). Administrators’ perceptions of college campus protocols, response, and student prevention efforts for sexual assault. Violence and Victims, 29(4), 579–593. https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-12-00154

American College Health Association. (2022). Addressing sexual and relationship violence: A trauma-informed approach. American College Health Association. https://www.acha.org/documents/resources/Addressing_Sexual_Violence_Toolkit_2020-Update.pdf

Augustyn

M. B.

Rennison

C. M.

Pinchevsky

G. M.

Magnuson

A. B.

(2020). Intimate partner stalking among college students: Examining situational contexts related to police notification. Journal of Family Violence, 35(7), 679–691. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-019-00115-6

Block

M. S.

(2015). The pros and cons of being a Title IX coordinator. Higher Ed Jobs. https://www.higheredjobs.com/Articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=646

Boots

D. P.

Gulledge

L. M.

Wareham

(2023). Commentary on Campbell et al.’s “creating a university strategic plan to address relationship violence and sexual misconduct”: Sustainability and replicability concerns. Violence Against Women, 29(1), 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221130102

Cadaret, M. C., Johnson, N. L., Devencenzi, M. L., & Morgan, E. M. (2021). A quasiexperimental study of the bystander plus program for changing rape culture beliefs. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(19–20), NP10156–NP10177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519872981

Cameron

Wollschleger

(2021). Examining the institutional features influencing sexual assault at small colleges and universities. Sociological Inquiry, 91(1), 162–180. https://doi.org/10.1111/soin.12284

Campbell

Munford

Moylan

C. A.

PettyJohn

M. E.

Schweda

Fedewa

Rosen

Ferguson

M. A.

Beal

Buchanan

N. T.

(2023). Creating a university strategic plan to address relationship violence and sexual misconduct (RVSM): An application of principles-focused evaluation at Michigan State University. Violence Against Women, 29(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221130106

Cantor

Fisher

Chibnall

Harps

Townsend

Thomas

Lee

Kranz

Herbison

Madden

(2020). Report on the AAU campus climate survey on sexual assault and misconduct. The Association of American Universities, 1–433. https://www.aau.edu/sites/default/files/AAU-Files/Key-Issues/Campus-Safety/Revised%20Aggregate%20report%20%20and%20appendices%201-7_(01-16-2020_FINAL).pdf

10.

Carmody

Ekhomu

Payne

B. K.

(2009). Needs of sexual assault advocates in campus-based sexual assault centers. College Student Journal, 43(2), 507–513. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ872265

11.

Castellanos, J., & Huyler, D. (2018, March). Sexual assault in higher education. Adult Higher Education Alliance. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED590263

12.

Civil Rights Division. (2025). Title IX. https://www.justice.gov/crt/title-ix

13.

Clery Center. (2018). Understanding Clery statistics. Clery Center For Security on Campus, Inc. https://www.clerycenter.org/assets/docs/0618_Understanding-Clery-Statistics.pdf

14.

Clery Center. (2022). The Jeanne Clery Act. https://www.clerycenter.org/the-clery-act

15.

Cook

Glass

Ingersoll

(2023). Institutional predictors of campus sexual misconduct reporting: The role of gender in leadership. Studies in Higher Education, 48(7), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2174096

16.

Cruz

(2021). The constraints of fear and neutrality in Title IX administrators’ responses to sexual violence. The Journal of Higher Education, 92(3), 363–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2020.1809268

17.

Cusano

Wood

Ast

R. S.

McMahon

Steiner

J. J.

Spector

(2024). Help-seeking among college survivors of dating and sexual violence: A qualitative exploration of utilization of university-based victim services. Journal of American College Health, 72(1), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.2024208

18.

Dolamore

Richards

T. N.

(2020). Assessing the organizational culture of higher education institutions in an era of #MeToo. Public Administration Review, 80(6), 1133–1137. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13179

19.

Englander

McCoy

Sherman

(2016). Sexual assault information on university websites. Violence and Gender, 3(1), 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1089/vio.2015.0025

20.

Federal Bureau of Investigation. (n.d.). Crime/law enforcement stats (UCR program). Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved February 22, 2025, from https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/ucr

21.

Federal Student Aid. (2020). Rescission of and replacement for the 2016 handbook for campus safety and security reporting. https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2020-10-09/rescission-and-replacement-2016-handbook-campus-safety-and-security-reporting-updated-jan-19-2021

22.

Fedina

Holmes

J. L.

Backes

B. L.

(2018). Campus sexual assault: A systematic review of prevalence research from 2000 to 2015. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 19(1), 76–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838016631129

23.

Fisher

B. S.

Cullen

F. T.

Turner

M. G.

(2000). The sexual victimization of college women (vol. 4, pp. 1–47). The National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/measuring-sexual-victimization-women-evolution-current-controversies-and

24.

Garcia, C. K., & Vemuri, A. (2017). Girls and young women resisting rape culture through youtube videos. Girlhood Studies, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.3167/ghs.2017.100204

25.

Graham

L. M.

Treves-Kagan

Magee

E. P.

DeLong

S. M.

Ashley

O. S.

Macy

R. J.

Martin

S. L.

Moracco

K. E.

Bowling

J. M.

(2017). Sexual assault policies and consent definitions: A nationally representative investigation of U.S. colleges and universities. Journal of School Violence, 16(3), 243–258. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2017.1318572

26.

Griffin

V. W.

Wentz

Meinert

(2022). Explaining the why in #WhyIDidntReport: An examination of common barriers to formal disclosure of sexual assault in college students. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(15–16), NP14716–NP14745. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211016343

27.

Holland

K. J.

Cipriano

A. E.

(2021). Does a report = support? A qualitative analysis of college sexual assault survivors’ Title IX office knowledge, perceptions, and experiences. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 21(1), 1054–1081. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12271

28.

Janssen-Robinson

(2018). How does grant funding impact a campus’s prevention and response programming and education compared to a campus without grant funding? An exploratory case study. [PhD, Indiana State University]. https://www-proquest-com-s.web.bisu.edu.cn/docview/2049786464/abstract/1E85296C6E48443FPQ/1

29.

Javorka

Campbell

(2019). Advocacy services for college victims of sexual assault: Navigating complicated confidentiality concerns. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 20(3), 304–323. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2019.1571889

30.

Jessup-Anger

Lopez

Koss

M. P.

(2018). History of sexual violence in higher education. New Directions for Student Services, 2018(161), 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/ss.20249

31.

Johnson

N. L.

Johnson

D. M.

(2021). An empirical exploration into the measurement of rape culture. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(1–2), NP70–NP95. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517732347

32.

Krebs

C. P.

Lindquist

C. H.

Langton

Berzofsky

Planty

Asefnia

N. S.

Shook-Sa

B. E.

Peterson

Stroop

(2022). The value and validity of self-reported survey data on the rape experiences of college students. Violence Against Women, 28(9), 1911–1924. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221079372

33.

Krebs

C. P.

Lindquist

C. H.

Warner

T. D.

Fisher Bonnie

Martin

S. L.

(2007). The campus sexual assault (CSA) study. 1–111.

34.

Liang

Goodman

Tummala-Narra

Weintraub

(2005). A theoretical framework for understanding help-seeking processes among survivors of intimate partner violence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 36(1–2), 71–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-005-6233-6

35.

Lorenz

Hayes

Jacobsen

(2022). Keeping the wound open: Survivor experiences with Title IX investigations. Women & Criminal Justice, 34(4), 270–290. https://doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2022.2060896

36.

McKinney

M. A.

(2017). Perceptions and practices of university sexual violence prevention activities coordinators: A national survey. University of Toledo. https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_olink/r/1501/10?clear=10&p10_accession_num=toledo1493300384763405

37.

Moylan

C. A.

Javorka

(2020). Widening the lens: An ecological review of campus sexual assault. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(1), 179–192. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838018756121

38.

Moylan

C. A.

Javorka

Bybee

Stotzer

R. L.

Carlson

(2019). Campus-level variation in the prevalence of student experiences of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 10(3), 397–421. https://doi.org/10.1086/704543

39.

Moylan

C. A.

Nason

J. A.

Javorka

Stotzer

R. L.

Kennedy

A. C.

(2024). Drinking, diversity, and discrimination: Campus-level factors that influence students’ risk of experiencing sexual assault. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 39(13–14), 2857–2880. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605231222455

40.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2023). COE - criminal incidents at postsecondary institutions. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/a21/postsecondary-criminal-incidents

41.

Ngo

F. T.

(2014). Toward a comprehensive model on stalking acknowledgment. Crime & Delinquency, 60(8), 1158–1182. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128711428731

42.

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). (2020). 2020 biennial report to congress on the effectiveness of grant funds under the Violence Against Women Act. https://www.justice.gov/ovw/page/file/1525621/download

43.

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). (2022). 2022 biennial report to congress on the effectiveness of the grant funds under the Violence Against Women Act. https://www.justice.gov/ovw/media/1348091/dl?inline=

44.

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). (2023). OVW fiscal year 2023 grants to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus program solicitation. https://www.justice.gov/ovw/page/file/1573596/download

45.

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). (n.d.). Campus Program. https://www.justice.gov/ovw/campus-program

46.

Orchowski

L. M.

Grocott

Bogen

K. W.

Ilegbusi

Amstadter

A. B.

Nugent

N. R.

(2022). Barriers to reporting sexual violence: A qualitative analysis of #WhyIDidntReport. Violence Against Women, 28(14), 3530–3553. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221092479

47.

Palmer

J. E.

Alda

(2016). Examining the impact of federal grants to reduce violent crimes against women on campus. The Review of Higher Education, 40(1), 63–89. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2016.0038

48.

Palmer

J. E.

Fissel

E. R.

Hoxmeier

Williams

(2021). #MeToo for whom? Sexual assault disclosures before and after #MeToo. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 46(1), 68–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09588-4

49.

Paul

(2016). Navigating Title IX and gender based campus violence: An analysis of the roles and experiences of Title IX coordinators (ProQuest ID: Paul_ucla_0031D_14694). [Doctoral Dissertation, UCLA]. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/422513r6

50.

Phills

C. E.

Brown

E. R.

Wesely

J. K.

Hull

Smith

Buehler

A. J.

Binder

(2023). Survivor-focused timely warnings increase negative stereotyping of survivors but make readers feel safer. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 53(7), 570–581. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12935

51.

Reicher

(2017). What’s love got to do with it? How current law overlooks the complexities of intimate partner violence on college and university campuses. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 44(3), 1–34. https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/ulj/vol44/iss3/8

52.

Rosenberg

Townes

Taylor

Luetke

Herbenick

(2018). Quantifying the magnitude and potential influence of missing data in campus sexual assault surveys: A systematic review of surveys, 2010–2016. Journal of American College Health, 67(1), 42–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1462817

53.

Sabina

L. Y.

(2014). Campus and college victim responses to sexual assault and dating violence: Disclosure, service utilization, and service provision. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15(3), 201–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838014521322

54.

Sabina

Straus

M. A.

(2008). Polyvictimization by dating partners and mental health among U.S. college students. Violence and Victims, 23(6), 667–682. https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.23.6.667

55.

Sable

M. R.

Danis

Mauzy

D. L.

Gallagher

S. K.

(2006). Barriers to reporting sexual assault for women and men: Perspectives of college students. Journal of American College Health, 55(3), 157–162. https://doi.org/10.3200/JACH.55.3.157-162

56.

Shariff, S., & Wiseman, A. (2016). Supporting survivors: A strategic model to address rape culture in universities. Journal of Psychological Therapies, 1(2), 5–12. https://pep-web.org/browse/document/JPT.001B.0005A

57.

Sinozich

Langton

(2014). Rape and sexual assault victimization among college-age females, 1995–2013. U.S. Department of Justice Special Report.

58.

Spencer, C., Mallory, A., Toews, M., Stith, S., & Wood, L. (2017). Why sexual assault survivors do not report to universities: A feminist analysis. Family Relations, 66(1), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12241

59.

Spitzberg

B. H.

(2017). Acknowledgment of unwanted pursuit, threats, assault, and stalking in a college population. Psychology of Violence, 7(2), 265–275. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040205

60.

Stotzer

R. L.

MacCartney

(2016). The role of institutional factors on on-campus reported rape prevalence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31(16), 2687–2707. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515580367

61.

Streng

T. K.

Kamimura

(2015). Sexual assault prevention and reporting on college campuses in the U.S.: A review of policies and recommendations. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(3), 1–8. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1083737.pdf

62.

Strout

Amar

A. F.

Astwood

(2014). Women’s center staff perceptions of the campus climate on sexual violence. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 10(3), 135–143. https://doi.org/10.1097/JFN.0000000000000034

63.

Taylor

Z. W.

(2018). Unreadable and underreported: Can college students comprehend how to report sexual assault? Journal of College Student Development, 59(2), 248–253. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2018.0023

64.

United Educators. (2023). 2023 top risks report: Insights for higher education. Higher Education.

65.

U.S. Department of Education. (2021). Title IX and sex discrimination [policy guidance]. US Department of Education (ED). https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html

66.

U.S. Department of Justice, & Office on Violence Against Women. (n.d.). Awards by state and program. https://www.justice.gov/ovw/awards

67.

Wesely

J. K.

Brown

E. R.

Phills

C. E.

(2022). Words matter: A qualitative content analysis of campus crime alerts and considerations for best practices. Journal of American College Health, 70(1), 49–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1719114

68.

Wiersma-Mosley

J. D.

DiLoreto

(2018). The role of Title IX coordinators on college and university campuses. Behavioral Sciences, 8(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8040038

69.

Wright

E. N.

Anderson

Phillips

Miyamoto

(2022). Help-seeking and barriers to care in intimate partner sexual violence: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(5), 1510–1528. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838021998305

70.

Yung

C. R.

(2015). Concealing campus sexual assault: An empirical examination. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000037