Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
Published on: March 8, 2018
An examination of the disparity between self-identified versus legally identified rape victimization: A pilot study
Dorothy F Marsil1, Corinne McNamara1
1a Department of Psychology , Kennesaw State University , Kennesaw , Georgia , USA.
Objective:
Researchers compared rape victimization based on self-identification to the current federal legal definition in a pilot study of college students.
Methods:
The sample was comprised of 1,648 (69.8% female; 30.2% male) college students who completed the Sexual Experiences Survey-Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV) online.
Results:
Based on the current legal definition of rape, 9.4% (11.1% female; 5.2% male) of students had been raped since being enrolled, but only 2.9% of students self-identified as being raped. Moreover, 15.1% of students reported ever being raped, with females acknowledging higher rates (19.7%) than males (4.3%).
Conclusions:
Rape continues to be a major issue for colleges and universities. A serious concern is the disparity between the number of those who met the behavioral criteria for rape victimization based on the current legal definition, but who did not self-identify as a victim. Universities must address this disparity by using multiple measures to assess the prevalence of sexual violence on campus.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Deindividuation
Bullying
Sex Linked Disorders
Factors Influencing Attraction II: Physical Attraction

