Beyond Compliance: Critical Perspectives in Supporting Institutionally Underserved Survivors of Sexual Violence

Interpersonal and sexual violence on college campuses is rampant. While federal legislation exists to support survivors of interpersonal violence in higher education via the Violence Against Women Act, Title IX, and Clery Act, support specifically for institutionally underserved survivors of interpersonal violence (IUS) tends to be limited in nature. Because of this deficit, institutionally underserved students and survivors of interpersonal violence are often left unsupported by interpersonal violence prevention staff members (IVPSM). Through semi-structured interviews, this critical multisite case study collected information on the perceptions of IVPSM on IUS support and resources, identified gaps in education on how to respond and support IUS, and examined IVPSM’s social identities and influence of their identities on their work. Data was analyzed through critical race theories and critical trauma theory with a focus on intersectionality. This research can aid higher education professionals in understanding promising practices in supporting institutionally underserved survivors.