Campus Sexual Violence Prevention and Response: Lessons from a Pandemic to Inform Future Efforts

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Higher Education
• Technology in Education

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional higher education settings.
• Sexual violence (SV) remains a significant issue on college campuses.
• Campus prevention and response professionals faced challenges in reaching students virtually.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the transition of a sexual violence prevention and response app (uSafeUS®) from in-person to remote and hybrid learning environments.
• To outline innovative strategies for engaging students and supporting victims during the pandemic.
• To share lessons learned for ongoing campus community engagement in SV prevention.

Main Methods:

• The study evaluated the efficacy of the uSafeUS® app across 15 four-year colleges.
• The project team collaborated with campus partners to adapt app engagement strategies.
• Virtual platforms and new student engagement approaches were implemented.

Main Results:

• The uSafeUS® app was successfully adapted for remote and hybrid learning settings.
• New methods enhanced support for SV victims, allies, and campus professionals.
• Collaboration between the project team and campus practitioners was crucial.

Conclusions:

• Lessons learned from the pandemic transition are vital for future SV prevention and response efforts.
• Sustained collaboration is key to effectively engaging campus communities.
• The study highlights the adaptability of technology in addressing persistent campus issues.