Trauma-Informed Approaches to Campus Sexual Assault Response: A Mixed-Methods Study

This study examined attitudes towards and implementation of trauma-informed approaches in sexual assault response protocols at U.S. higher education institutions through a two-phase mixed-methods approach. This included surveying 830 institutions and interviewing 43 participants representing seven of those institutions. Staff involved in response efforts supported trauma-informed approaches, but were often constrained by federal requirements (i.e., the Clery Act and Title IX), and experienced difficulty managing different priorities across a response team. Study results demonstrated the need for improved translation of federal rules into practical guidance for sexual assault responses and indicated collaboration was a key facilitator for successful, student-centered responses.