Sexual Assault Among Canadian University Students: A Minority Stress and Intersectional Perspective - Ruby Bergen, Amanda Champion, Flora Oswald, Kari Walton, & Cory L. Pedersen

 

Past research indicates that individuals with multiple minority identities experience unique stress as a function of distal (e.g., discrimination) and proximal factors (e.g., internalized homophobia) that have adverse consequences on their physical and mental well-being. Specifically, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are at a significantly greater risk for sexual and physical victimization, substance abuse problems, suicidality, and illness (e.g., Hatzenbuehler et al., 2008). In the current investigation, we added to the growing research base through the application of intersectionality, minority, and multiple minority stress perspectives to the investigation of sexual and ethnic minority university students’ experiences with sexual assault incorporating behavioural substance use patterns. We focused on university students specifically due to the prevalence of substance use, binge drinking, and reports of sexual assault experienced by this demographic.  

 

We recruited a non-probabilistic sample of 593 university students (84% women; 18% sexual minorities; 76% ethnic minorities; 38% experiencing at least one sexual assault incident) to complete an online Qualtrics survey, including a general sociodemographic questionnaire, a measure of minority stress (including distal and proximal factors), alcohol and substance use patterns, and experiences with sexual assault (frequency and type). We expanded on our previous work to directly explore the minority stress pathway to higher frequencies of sexual assault and incapacitated (i.e., too intoxicated to provide consent after voluntarily consuming alcohol and/or drugs) sexual assault experiences. 

 

Results indicated that compared to straight men, being a sexual minority university student was associated with a 63% higher rate of incapacitated sexual assault. However, compared to sexual minorities, being a straight woman was associated with a 37% higher rate of sexual assault. Further, we determined that higher incidents of incapacitated sexual assault correlated with greater substance use overall; problematic alcohol use was associated with a 22% increase in the incidence rate of incapacitated sexual assault and the belief that alcohol enhances sex was associated with a 17% increase in the incidence rate. 

 

These results partially align with previous research of Kramer-Kerwick (2021) suggesting that sexual and gender minority students experience increased risk of sexual victimization. However, are results were not fully confirmed because we found that White women were at a higher risk of ISA compared to sexual/gender minority people. Thus, perhaps college/university norms of alcohol consumption play a greater role for White women students overall. Nonetheless, given the high prevalence of sexual assaults among Canadian students with sexual and ethnic minority identities, many which occurred during their university years, the need to address minority stress and effective coping mechanisms is paramount.

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Oral presentation delivered at the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, San Diego, 2024.​​