Reporting Realities: VAWA Offenses on University Campuses

• In Event: Contemporary Policy Issues at the Student and Institutional Levels

Abstract

Violence against women on college campuses has been an issue since women started attending higher education institutions. Such violence has been measured, examined, and discussed through institutional reporting data and national survey publications. Yet, few studies have examined this problem through the contexts of organizational characteristics, enrollment characteristics, and policy implementation. This exploratory quantitative study employs data from the U.S. DOE Campus Safety and Security online portal and IPEDS to explore trends in VAWA offenses reporting between 2014 and 2017. An input-environment-accountability-outcome (I-E-A-O) framework offers a lens to interpret study results by suggesting the policy cycle, guided by federal mandates and accountability/compliance requirements, creates reporting practices and limitations at the institutional level that control the accuracy of the data outcomes.

Authors

• Christine Hall, The University of Texas - Arlington

• Maria Adamuti-Trache, The University of Texas - Arlington