By Cameron Dewey, Program Intern
Living on a college campus is supposed to be one of the most exciting parts of being a student, but for some it poses the threat of sexual violence. Sexual violence is extremely prevalent on college campuses, putting students at higher risk. Based on research from the Association of American Universities, 41.8% of all students reported sexual harassment with the overall rate of sexual assault being 13% in 2019 (AAU, 2020). While there is a handful of research on college campuses and the prevalence of sexual assault, one group is often left out of the research: international students.
There is a large presence of international students in the United States, totaling 948,519 students during the 2021-2022 academic year (IIE, 2022). Pre-COVID, numbers were even higher, with international students totaling more than one million. The state of Maryland is ranked 15th in the country for the number of international students, home to 19,651 students (OpenDoors, 2022). International students face unique conditions compared to their domestic counterparts, putting them at an increased risk for sexual violence due to perceived vulnerability. These conditions include things like cultural differences, assimilating, and stigmatization resulting from socio-political contexts (Ramrakhiani et al., 2021). Stigma and racist rhetoric makes international students targets for violence, while things like cultural differences and language barriers can create difficulty in understanding legal systems and establishing support systems (MOSAIC, n.d.)
Compared to domestic students, 10.3% of which reported sexual violence, 5.5% of international students reported in 2019 (Ramrakhiani et al., 2021). While this number is smaller, it is important to take into account that these are only reported cases. It is also worth noting that international students reported general acts of violence at a much higher rate than domestic students. Many patterns that show up for domestic students also show up for international students: women are more likely to be victims, the perpetrator is usually known to the victim, and cases go unreported (Ramrakhiani et al., 2021).
There are many reasons that sexual violence goes unreported, but for international students, there are additional barriers that they face that domestic students do not. There are barriers including language and cultural barriers (Reid and Dunlap, 2017). Many cultures have different perceptions and expectations when it comes to gender norms, making it hard to pinpoint when something should be reported because of differing ideologies (Reid and Dunlap, 2017). There are also different perceptions around mental health, many carrying stigma, preventing international students from reaching out after something has occurred (Bonistall Postel, 2020). Current resources are generally not culturally responsive, making it hard for international students to get the exact resources they need.
In addition, international students face less obvious but extremely difficult barriers. International students must maintain specific standings and follow specific rules in order to keep their student VISA, so any course changes, living changes, or extended stays in the country would require approval (Bonistall Postel, 2020). This would mean the student would have to report their assault to multiple different parties in order to maintain their education and VISA, creating a barrier that many may not feel comfortable crossing.
The issue of campus sexual assault and international students is one that is hard to solve because of very limited research, but these are basic steps that can be taken to begin to address theneeds of international students. Making sure they feel safe and welcome on their campus is the first part of combatting sexual assault, so if these programs are implemented and more research is conducted, we can work towards a safer environment for international students.
References
Association of American Universities. (2020, January 17). Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct. Association of American Universities. Retrieved from: https://www.aau.edu/issues/climate-survey-sexual-assault-and-sexual-misconduct
Bonistall Postel, E. J. (2020). Violence Against International Students: A Critical Gap in the Literature. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(1), 71–82. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838017742385
Institute of International Education. (2022, November 14). U.S. Colleges and Universities See Strong Rebounds in International Student Enrollments. IIE. Retrieved from: https://www.iie.org/news/us-sees-strong-international-student-enrollment-rebounds/
Mosaic. (n.d.) International Student Safety Guide [Infographic]. Retrieved from: https://www.mosaicbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/International-Student-Safety-Guide.pdf
OpenDoors (2022). 2022 Fact Sheet: Maryland [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved from: https://opendoorsdata.org/fact_sheets/maryland/
Ramrakhiani, S. H., Byrne, A. M., & Sink, C. A. (2021). Examining the Experiences of Campus Safety among International Students. Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity (JCSCORE), 7(2), 2–31. Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/48645154
Reid, S., & Dunlap, J. (2017, November 14). International students need different education programs on sexual assault and other issues (essay). Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from: https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2017/11/15/international-students-need-different-education-programs-sexual-assault-and-other
