2023 SUNY Uniform Campus Climate
Sexual Violence Prevention Student Survey Results (n=1,196)
Consistent with New York State Education Law 129-B and policies of The State University of New York, SUNY Brockport participated in the 2023 SUNY Uniform Campus Climate Survey; one survey was directed to students, while another was directed to employees. This report focuses on the student survey, which gathered information about students’ knowledge and experience with sexual and interpersonal violence, stalking, and awareness of related policies and resources on campus. This confidential online survey was disseminated to all students, undergraduate and graduate, via an email invitation on April 4. Several reminder emails were sent, and the survey was closed on April 24, 2023.
Student Survey Demographics
The student response rate was 4.6%, with 274 respondents. Most of the student respondents (63%) were living with family; 47.6% were living in campus housing; and 19.8% were living in off campus housing with roommates/friends. Forty-nine percent of respondents reported having a disability or a chronic mental health condition.
Respondents identified their gender as follows:
- 63.6% women;
- 30.7% men;
- 4.2% non-binary;
- 2.1% transgender;
- 3.2% genderqueer/gender-fluid.
The sexual orientation of respondents was as follows:
- Respondents were primarily heterosexual (68%);
- 3.3% identified as gay;
- 3.3% identified as lesbian;
- 17.5% identified as bisexual;
- 4.1% identified as asexual;
- 3% identified as pansexual;
- 5.6% identified as queer;
- 2.6% were questioning/unsure.
Title IX Infrastructure, Policies & Resources
The following section relates to students’ knowledge and awareness of SUNY Brockport’s Title IX Office, policies and procedures, and campus and community resources.
- Most students (63.2%) reported knowing how to contact the Title IX Coordinator.
- Most students reported awareness of the role of the Title IX Coordinator.
- 81.4% reported knowledge of the Title IX Coordinator role in regards to receiving reports of sex discrimination/sexual assault/ sexual misconduct;
- 72.6% reported knowledge of the Title IX Coordinator role in regards to coordinating the campus response;
- 72.4% reported knowledge of the Title IX Coordinator role in regards to ensuring training/education to the campus; and
- 72.1% reported knowledge of the Title IX Coordinator role in regards to providing accommodations and services to reporting individuals.
- Most students responded knowing how to report Title IX incidents, with:
- 74.2% knowing how to report a sexual assault;
- 69.7% knowing how to report sexual harassment;
- 61.7% knowing how to report domestic violence/dating violence;
- 58.3% knowing how to report stalking; and
- 23.1% not knowing how to report any of these types of incidents.
- The top five campus departments where students responded a victim or witness could file a formal complaint of sexual assault were:
- University Police (95.3%);
- Title IX Coordinator (89.1%);
- Counseling Center (73.6%);
- Health Center (73.9%); and
- Advocacy Services (61.8%).
- Most students reported receiving from SUNY Brockport either written or verbal (presentations, trainings) information about sexual assault, including:
- 60.4% received information on the definition of sexual assault;
- 66.21% received information on how to report a sexual assault;
- 67.7% received information on where to go to get help;
- 65% received information on who to speak to confidentially about a sexual assault;
- 60.8% received information on policies prohibiting sexual assault; and
- Only 17.3% reported not receiving information on any of the above.
- The majority of students (85.5%) are knowledgeable about the definition of affirmative consent. The majority of students (97.7%) reported knowing that someone who is incapacitated cannot provide consent.
- Most students (59.8%) reported knowing the difference between the university disciplinary process and the criminal justice system.
- Most students (57.9%) reported being aware of the amnesty policy (related to the use of drugs and alcohol).
- The top six campus and community resources students reported having an awareness of (the Title IX office was not included) were:
- University Police (86%);
- Counseling Center (82.4%);
- Health Services (78.4%);
- Local Police/Sheriff (65.3%);
- Local health services, hospitals (59%) and
- Student Conduct (58.6%)
Student Experiences of Sexual/Dating/Domestic Violence and/or Stalking
This section asked SUNY Brockport students about their experience, within the past year, with sexual and interpersonal violence, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, and stalking, including whether students disclosed their experience to others and/or reported the incident to SUNY Brockport. If they did not report the incident, the survey asked their reasons for not reporting.
Respondents reported the following incidents having occurred without their consent within the year preceding the survey:
- 29.7% reported experiencing unwanted sexual comments, sexual slurs, or demeaning jokes;
- 6.4% reported someone viewing their sexual activity/nakedness, or taking explicit pictures/recordings without consent;
- 26% reported experiencing unwanted sexually suggestive digital communications, words or images, or both, including emails, texts, social media, or other written communication;
- 5.9% reported having experienced an attempted but not completed incident of being fondled, kissed, or being rubbed up against the private areas of body without consent; 13.2% reported that the act, i.e., fondling, etc. was completed;
- 4.6% reported someone attempted but did not complete the removal of respondent’s clothes without consent; 8.7% reported that the act was completed;
- 4.6% reported that someone attempted, but did not complete, performing oral sex on them or forcing them to perform oral sex without consent; 5% reported the act was completed;
- No respondents reported that someone attempted, but did not complete, sexual penetration (by inserting penis, fingers or object into vagina or anus) without consent; 8.2% reported the act was completed.
Students reported the relationship to the person as follows:
- 20.5% were strangers;
- 16.9% were acquaintances;
- 10.8% were non-romantic friends;
- 7.2% were other college students;
- 8.4% casual first date; and
- 8.4% there was more than one person.
The top five persons that students reported telling about the most recent incident were to a friend, roommate/housemate, romantic partner, parent/guardian, and other family member.
No students reported the most recent incident to the University (Title IX office, student conduct or University Police)
For those who decided not to report the most recent incident to SUNY Brockport, the top reasons/concerns were (could choose all that applied):
- “I did not think it was important enough” (55.3%);
- “I did not recognize it as sexual assault at the time” (51.1%);
- “I just did not want to deal with it” (46.8%);
- “I was ashamed or embarrassed” (29.8%);
- “I was worried it was partly my fault” (29.8%);
- “I thought I would be blamed for what happened” (27.7%);
- “I do not think I would be believed” (23.4%);
- “I was afraid of losing my friends or friend group changing (21.3%).
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Students were asked about experiences with intimate partner violence (intimate partner was defined as “a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or anyone [the respondent] was in an intimate relationship with or hooked up with, including exes and current partners”) within the past year.
- 15% of students reported that an intimate partner controlled or attempted to control them;
- 7% of students reported that an intimate partner threatened to hurt them, their family/friends, or themselves, in order to influence their partner; and
- 5.1% of students reported they have been scratched, slapped, hit, kicked, beaten, punched, or physically harmed by an intimate partner.
47.1% of students told someone about the most recent incident of IPV, while 52.9% of students did not tell anyone.
Stalking
8.8% of students reported that a stranger/friend/current or ex-partner repeatedly followed, watched, texted, called, emailed, or communicated with them in ways that seemed obsessive and made them afraid and concerned for their safety.
50% of students told someone about the most recent incident. 88.9% of respondents reported they told a friend.
Students were asked if incidents of sexual violence, dating/domestic violence and stalking made them change their educational plans, and reported:
- 9.8% of students reported changing academic schedule and/or housing.
Bystander Intervention
This section asked students about their perceptions of how their fellow students would respond and how SUNY Brockport would respond, in various situations.
- 45% reported that a fellow student would express their discomfort if someone made a joke about a person’s body;
- 54.7% reported that a fellow student would call 911 for help if they heard a neighbor yelling “help”;
- 74.8% reported that a fellow student would get help and resources for a friend who disclosed they had been assaulted;
- 55.9% reported that a fellow student would confront a friend who told them they had sex with someone who was passed out or who did not give consent; and
- 49.7% reported that a fellow student would tell a resident assistant or other campus authority about information that might help in a sexual assault case, even if pressured by their friends to stay silent.
- Students’ perceptions about how the campus would respond to a formal complaint of sexual violence:
- 73.6% reported that SUNY Brockport would take the report seriously;
- 60.4% reported that SUNY Brockport would conduct a fair investigation; and
- 64.7% reported that SUNY Brockport would provide the student with the necessary support during the process.
Summary
The student response rate of 4.6% did not meet the sample size required to generalize the survey findings which was the case for most SUNY campuses. The survey results provide information for the Title IX office and other departments on campus such as, Health Promotion and Prevention Education (HPPE), and Hazen Health and Counseling Centers.
Recommendations:
Following a review of the survey results, the Offices of Title IX and HPPE (Karen Logsdon, Denine Carr, and Mathew Hall) recommend the following:
- Enhance student awareness of Title IX Office. Although most students (63.2%) reported knowing how to contact the Title IX Coordinator, over a third of the respondents did not know how to contact the Title IX Coordinator;
- Enhance awareness of the amnesty policy. While most students (57.9%) reported being aware of the amnesty policy, 42.1% did not know;
- Continue to roll out and assess the effectiveness of the new bystander intervention program at Brockport.
Report respectfully submitted by:
- Denine Carr, Title IX Coordinator
- Mathew Hall, Assistant Director, Prevention and Outreach Services
- Karen Logsdon, Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Assistant to the VP, SA
September 22, 2023