Taking Off the Rose-Colored Glasses: Experiences of Sexual Assault and Institutional Mistrust

Despite attempts to reduce sexual assault, approximately one-quarter of university students in Canada and the United States will experience a sexual assault during their undergraduate experience. In addition to the interpersonal trauma survivors experience during a sexual assault, institutions may respond in ways that amplify this trauma, failing students at an especially vulnerable point. Sexual assault has a long-term impact on the way survivors perceive the world and interact with institutions, often resulting in disillusionment. This study sought to understand how experiencing sexual assault, including the timing of that assault, is linked to university students’ perceptions of institutions and their policies, perceived risk of sexual assault, and rape myth acceptance. Students from a Canadian institution ( N = 1,220) completed an online survey that assessed their sexual assault history, from which they were grouped in terms of timing of the assault experience: pre-university, during university, prior to and during university, and no sexual assault history. A one-way multiple analysis of variance revealed that individuals with any sexual assault history reported lower institutional trust, more negative perceptions of their institution’s sexual assault policies, greater perceived risk of sexual assault, and lower endorsement of rape myths than those with no sexual assault history. Differences from those with no assault history were larger among those who had experienced sexual assault during their university experience. Additional exploratory analyses showed that diminished campus belonging among survivors of sexual assault was mediated by lower levels of institutional trust. Implications are centered around the long-term impacts of sexual assault, the role that institutions play in amplifying negative outcomes, and the role that these impacts play in reducing reporting and help-seeking.