Assessing sexual violence at Stanford

One year ago, Provost Persis Drell announced Stanford’s plan to join the Association of American Universities (AAU) in a nationwide survey to understand students’ experiences with and attitudes toward sexual assault, harassment and other forms of sexual violence at Stanford. Since then, Stanford student groups, faculty, staff and administration have been working together to prepare for the upcoming survey and encourage maximum participation.

As with all surveys, more data will produce more precise results, which is why all undergraduate, graduate and professional students are urged to participate. Students who complete the survey will receive a $20 Amazon gift card.

The survey opens on Tuesday, April 9, and will close on Friday, May 10.

“Each student has a unique experience with the campus environment as it relates to sexual assault,” said Rachel Green, a third-year law student and member of a Stanford advisory committee composed of students, faculty, staff and administrators that’s been working with the AAU to organize the survey. Green said that some students might be survivors of sexual assault, some might have friends who have been impacted, while others might have witnessed it. Regardless of how they’ve experienced it, Green said that everyone has an opinion on sexual assault.

“It’s important for Stanford to hear as many perspectives as possible to get a more accurate picture of what’s happening on our campus and of what students think about it,” Green said. “The more feedback, the better, because then Stanford can better assess how to continue to improve its response to this pervasive issue.”

How the survey works

To take the survey, look for an email on Tuesday, April 9, from Drell containing a unique link to access the survey. The survey is being administered by Westat, a social science research firm contracted by the AAU. The link will direct you to Westat’s survey site.

The survey will take about 20 to 30 minutes to complete, and all responses are collected anonymously – no identifying information is connected to participants’ survey responses. Degree-seeking students 18 years or older who have been enrolled in autumn and/or winter quarter during the 2018-19 academic year are eligible to take the survey, which will include a series of questions about the following:

• Perceptions related to social situations and sexual assault, harassment and other forms of sexual violence at Stanford
• Knowledge of resources related to sexual assault, harassment and other forms of sexual violence available at Stanford
• Personal experiences with prohibited sexual conduct at Stanford, including questions about sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking and relationship violence
• Perceptions of the university’s response to reports of sexual assault, harassment and other forms of sexual violence

Stanford and Westat will have resources available for students taking the survey, including contact information for confidential support, counseling services, and sexual assault and harassment reporting options. If at any time participants have questions about the survey, they are encouraged to see the FAQ page or email aausurvey@stanford.edu.

Results of the survey will be released by Westat to the Stanford community in the fall of 2019. That data will yield important information, including the prevalence of sexual assault on campus, how students feel about the resources Stanford offers and where students feel safe or unsafe on campus.

“With this information, Stanford is able to assess things like what additional services are needed for both survivors and their supporters and friends, whether or not they go through the Title IX process; whether certain areas make students feel unsafe and what can be done about that; and whether some safe spaces and communities need additional programming or funding to further serve students’ needs,” Green said. “Stanford might realize key information simply isn’t reaching students and adjust its training programs for students and service providers.”

Why an AAU survey?

Universities nationwide have been using surveys to better understand their students’ experiences with sexual assault, harassment and other forms of sexual violence, as well as students’ university experiences overall. In 2015, 26 universities that are members of the Association of American Universities participated in an AAU survey. However, Stanford was one of 30 AAU member institutions that conducted a different survey, choosing instead to partner with the University of Chicago and Rice University on a survey design based on a survey that had been used by MIT.

Since then, Stanford students have voiced overwhelming support for using the AAU survey. In 2018, undergraduate and graduate student government representatives passed resolutions advocating for Stanford to participate in the 2019 AAU survey along with 33 other U.S. colleges and universities and over 870,000 students nationally.

“Sexual violence has absolutely no place in the Stanford community,” Drell said. “We are committed to strengthening our efforts to prevent and respond effectively to sexual violence and to supporting members of our community who are affected by it. This survey is an important part of our ongoing work to eradicate sexual violence and sexual harassment from our community.”