The University of California Berkeley has reported the results of a campus-wide survey conducted earlier this year about sexual violence and sexual harassment on campus. The findings were similar to national data, but provide a unique look at the Berkeley campus and demonstrate how the university can improve prevention and response. The survey, called MyVoice, was completed by 15,000 people, which is about 26 percent of the campus community.
The research team identified five preliminary findings from the survey results. They found that social norms on campus are generally positive; about 90 percent of respondents said victims deserve support and should receive the resources they need. However, they also found that survivors often don’t report harm due to a number of reasons including thinking the incident wasn’t serious enough, feeling that they did not need assistance, and worrying that they would be blamed. Additionally, the researchers discovered that people in marginalized groups are more likely to experience sexual violence and harassment, most sexual harm is perpetrated by peers, and undergraduate students experience the most harm overall. Nearly a third of undergraduate respondents reported experiencing sexual harassment in the last five years.
After an analysis by the research group, the data from the MyVoice survey will be used to implement action steps towards improving the prevention of sexual harassment on campus. Additionally the data will provide a better understanding of the protective and risk factors for sexual violence that exist in the Berkeley community and establishes a baseline of sexual violence rates on campus.
The full report as well as more information on MyVoice can be found here.