Mandatory Reporting: An Exploration of Student Perceptions of University Response to Sexual Misconduct

To respond to sexual misconduct many universities have implemented mandatory reporting (MR), which requires university employees to report disclosures of sexual misconduct to university officials. The current study examines student perceptions of three different approaches to MR (universal, selective, and student-directed). Results revealed that most students preferred a student-directed approach to MR over selective or universal approaches. Survivors of sexual misconduct indicated lower intent to report misconduct under the universal approach to MR compared to their nonvictimized peers. Additionally, under the universal approach to MR, LGBQ+ individuals endorsed lower intent to report misconduct compared to heterosexual individuals.