Examining date rape interventions to improve health and wellbeing in college students

College is a time for exploration and learning for most students. However, college also presents unique risks and dangers. Date rape is a pervasive problem across college campuses nationwide. The contextual nature of date rape makes it difficult to define, and the dearth of critically evaluated interventions may lead to the perpetuation of ineffectual programs. The authors conducted a systematic literature review to elucidate the definitions of date rape in health and social work literature, identify effective interventions, and explore the nature of victims and perpetrators. Using the key words, date rape, interventions, and health, articles (N=69) from 1984-2015 were retrieved from seven online academic search engines. Peer reviewed articles from the last 10 years resulted in articles (n=12) that included qualitative research studies, quantitative research studies, and outcome studies of interventions, and victim-perpetrator characteristics. Several studies illustrated successful interventions, while others indicated the need for the improvement of the current model of date rape interventions adopted by many college campuses. By critically evaluating intervention programs and, perhaps, abandoning intervention models that encourage victim-blaming, college campuses could adopt effective practices to prevent the occurrences of date rape, improve student health and well-being, and assure parents that campus safety is a priority.