A Public Sociology Approach to Gathering Interpersonal Violence Prevention Data

• In Event: 377 - Section on Sociological Practice and Public Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 02. Public Sociology Teaching and Research on Campus

Abstract

Interpersonal violence (IPV) has been an issue on college campuses for decades. However, recent changes in affirmative consent and Title IX laws and policies have created new urgency to find solutions to violence in higher eduction settings. Notably, many colleges have instituted primary prevention programs that seek to change social norms that perpetuate the acceptance of behaviors that contribute to tolerance of IPV. This paper describes a public sociology course project that investigates whether student involvement in extracurricular activities are more likely to intervene to prevent violence, with particular attention to student athletes and those affiliated with fraternities and sororities. Data were collected by students in a Public Sociologies course, using a cross-sectional random cluster sample of students at a public liberal arts college in the Northeast. Willingness to intervene is measured using an index of responses to brief statements as well as responses to specific vignettes that described scenarios. Results reveal that although involved students are descriptively more likely to intend to intervene to prevent IPV, variables such as respondent sex and rape myth attitudes tend to dissolve this effect. Athletes and Greek-affiliated students were no less likely, and sometimes more likely, to intervene than comparable students. Students who gathered these data indicated via course evaluations that they highly valued this authentic tasks approach to learning sociological theories and methods. Results were shared with professional staff in the Women’s Center, campus administrators, as well as a non-profit partner, HealingSPACE.

Author

• Kristin Kenneavy, Ramapo College of New Jersey