‘But I’m not a counsellor’: The nature of role strain experienced by female professors when a student discloses sexual assault and intimate partner violence

Sexual assault and intimate partner violence victimisations are a major concern for the college community. College students who experience victimisation at times turn to their female professors as a listening ear. Due to conflicting role expectations, these professors may experience role strain when responding to student disclosures. This paper presents research in which professors were interviewed regarding student disclosures of sexual assault and intimate partner violence and asked about resulting strain. Findings indicate that professors are at times confused as to their exact role in assisting their students and are personally affected by the disclosures.