The Lived Experiences of Risk: Black College Women’s Perspectives on Sexual Assault

Sexual assault (SA) is a significant problem among college women. Black college women engage in some of the most common SA risk behaviors (e.g. alcohol use, hookups) less frequently than White women yet experience SA at similar rates. A better understanding of Black college women’s SA risk is needed. This three-phase (P1-P3) study (P1 and P2 focus groups and P3 feedback interviews), was designed to address this objective. P1 (N = 4) was conducted to determine culturally appropriate tone and content for P2 groups. P2 participants (N = 27), were queried about perceptions of specific SA risks for Black college women, and later (P3) provided feedback on how investigators had summarized these findings. P2 thematic analysis revealed themes both consistent with and distinct from prior college SA literature. Specifically, like White women, Black college women report risks around alcohol use and hookups. Dissimilarly, they emphasized pressures–both internal and external–in committed sexual relationships and described experiences of racialized objectification and perceived hypersexuality. Findings highlight racialized ways that men sexually objectify and pressure Black college women to engage in sexual activities, as well as women’s internal struggles regarding sexual decisions. The extensive nature of risk factors Black college women report illustrates a complex and potentially unique landscape of SA risk.