Study Finds That Women in STEM Disciplines in College Experience Greater Incidence of Sexual Violence

A new study by scholars at Georgia State University and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston finds that women majoring in STEM disciplines that are gender balanced reported more sexual violence victimization in the form of sexual coercion, attempted sexual coercion, attempted rape, and rape compared to their peers in both gender-balanced and male-dominated non-STEM majors and in male-dominated STEM majors.

Researchers surveyed a large group of women at five institutions of higher education in the second half of 2020. Their finding held firm even after controlling for age, race/ethnicity, victimization prior to college, sexual orientation, college binge drinking, and hard drug use during college.

The authors conclude that “the risk of repeated sexual violence victimization within STEM populations may be a threat to sustained gender parity in these fields and ultimately to gender equality and equity. Gender balance in STEM should not be furthered without addressing the potential use of sexual violence as a potential means of social control over women.”

The full study, “Sexual Violence Against Women in STEM: A Test of Backlash Theory Among Undergraduate Women,” was published on the website of the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. It may be accessed here.