Combating Campus Sexual Victimization Through Legislation: An Analysis of State-Level Legislative Proposals (2015-2016)

• In Event: Sexual Assault on Campus

Abstract

Campus sexual victimization is a major issue that continues to garner increasing attention and legislative proposals aimed at combating it. Building upon the work of Richards and Kafonek (2016), this study will track and analyze the proposed state-level legislative actions dealing with campus sexual victimization for the 2015-2016 legislative cycle. Content analysis will be used to identify the major themes of these legislative proposals, and the proposals will then be assessed in order to determine how they align with current best practices. This study will then take an additional step; for those legislative proposals that are still under consideration, policy and criminological theoretical frameworks will be used to assess their ability to be passed into law and their ability to reduce campus sexual victimizations if they are passed. The study will conclude with recommendations for future legislation and focus on specific areas that need legislative attention within this policy realm.

Author

• Steven Tucker Keener, Virginia Commonwealth University