Enhancing Campus Safety: Exploring Student Perspectives on a Text Message-Delivered Intervention for Addressing Sexual Violence and Alcohol Use.

Abstract

Background: Alcohol-related sexual violence, including sexual coercion, nonconsensual contact, and rape, is prevalent on college campuses.

Aim: The purpose of the study was to investigate college students' feedback and recommendations regarding content for a text-message-delivered harm reduction intervention to jointly address alcohol use and alcohol's role in sexual violence risk.

Methods: This qualitative thematic study used focus groups and individual interviews to collect feedback from 61 college students between February 2019 and July 2020.

Results: Targeted recruitment resulted in a sample that was nearly half queer/ lesbian, gay, bisexual (46.2%) or trans* (9.8%) identified students. Participants endorsed text messaging as an effective way to reach college students but diverged in specific content they felt was relevant and appropriate for a universal education intervention. Students preferred content describing individual strategies versus those requiring collaboration from friends or potential sex partners. Students also preferred content phrased as suggestions or questions versus declarative statements. Although most participants recognized the value of content related to consent, sexual violence, sexual health, and resources, a few male-identifying participants failed to recognize that content as important to their experience. Maintaining brevity while discussing consent in the overlapping settings of drinking and interpersonal relationships was described as a particular challenge.

Impact of this work on campus sexual assault and forensic nursing: Students in our sample highlighted the challenges of sharing sexual violence and alcohol-related harm reduction text messaging because of the complexities of rape culture, consent, and interpersonal dynamics during college student drinking events.