College Students' Experiences and Perceptions of Harassment on Campus - An Exploration of Gender Differences

Oct 15, 2026

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The study examines college students’ experiences and perceptions of harassment on campus, using a campus climate assessment instrument developed by Rankin (1998). Survey data from 7,347 students across 10 campuses compare men’s and women’s reported experiences. Results show both groups experience harassment, but women report significantly higher rates overall, especially sexual harassment, while men report higher rates of harassment based on sexuality. Findings are interpreted through a power and privilege lens, with implications for campus climate improvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Campus Climates and Student Outcomes

Student outcomes and campus learning environments

Non-discriminatory environments and predictors

Discriminatory environments and effects

College Students'Experiences and Perceptions ofHarassment on Campus:An Exploration of GenderDifferences Robert D.Reason,Susan R.Rankin* Using a campus climate assessment instrument developed by Rankin(1998),wesurveyed students (N=7,347)from 10 campuses to explore the diferent experienceswith harassment and campus climates reported by men and women.Both men andwomen reported experiencing harassment,although women experienced barassment atstatistically significantby higher rates than men.Women reported bigher rates of sexualbarassment,while men reported bigher rates of barassment based upon sexuality.Thesefindings are understood,and implications are provided,using a lens of power andprivilege. How students experience their campus environment influences both learningand developmental outcomes(Pascarella &Terenzini,1991,2005).Negativecampus climates,those in which students experience harassment and/ordiscrimination,hinder educational attainment and positive outcomes.Conversely,students who experience a campus as supportive are more likely toexperience positive learning outcomes(Milem,2003;Pascarella &Terenzini,1991,2005;Reason,Terenzini,&Domingo,2006,in press;Umbach &Kuh,2006).Recent research indicates harassment based on social group membership(e.g.,race,ethnicity,gender,sexual orientation)remains a problem on collegecampuses (Rankin&Reason,2005),likely negatively affecting the outcomes ofa college education.Research also indicates that students experience campusclimates differently based upon social group membership(Chang,2003;Miller,Anderson,Cannon,Perez,&Moore,1998).Understanding how students fromvarious social groups experience campus climate thus should be important tohigher education professionals in designing interventions more effectively andremoving obstacles to the success of all students. While a good deal of recent research focusing on the racial and ethnicdifferences in perceptions of campus climate has been conducted,gender-related differences have been largely ignored in the last several years.Whatresearch does exist is dated,focuses exclusively on perceptions of sexualharassment,and is outside the student development/higher education literature.The purpose of our study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of REASON,RANKIN harassment on campus for male and female students.We entered this studywith the understanding that different experiences likely influence the outcomesof higher education;therefore,exploration and understanding of thesedifferences is essential to maximizing the positive benefits of education for allstudents. Literature Review Student outcomes research (e.g.,Pascarella&Terenzini,1991,2005)highlightsthe relationship between perceptions of campus learning environments andstudent learning outcomes.Another body of research explores the differentperceptions of campus climate by social group membership(Chang,2003;Miller et al.,1998;Rankin &Reason,2005).Understood from aninteractionalist perspective (Evans,Forney,&Guido-Dibrito,1998),these twobodies of research highlight the importance of continued exploration ofdifferential perceptions of campus climate for social groups.Findings from thisexploration can be used to improve campus climates for all students,thusremoving obstacles to student success. # Campus Climates and Student Outcomes Several empirical studies reinforce the importance of the perception of non-discriminatory environments to positive learning and developmental outcomes(Aguirre &Messineo,1997;Flowers &Pascarella,1999;Whitt,Edison,Pascarella,Terenzini,&Nora,2001).Pascarella and Terenzini(1991),in theircomprehensive review of student outcomes literature,concluded that attendingan Historically Black College or University(HBCU)related to greatereducational attainment,academic self-image,and cognitive development forAfrican American students.Although causal connections are difficult toidentify,HBCUs appear to positively influence outcomes for African Americanstudent

FAQs

What data and method were used to study campus harassment experiences?

The research uses a campus climate assessment instrument developed by Rankin (1998) and surveys students (N=7,347) from 10 campuses.

How did men’s and women’s harassment experiences differ?

Both men and women reported experiencing harassment, but women experienced harassment at statistically significantly higher rates. Women reported higher rates of sexual harassment, while men reported higher rates of harassment based upon sexuality.

Why is campus climate important for student outcomes?

Students’ perceptions of their campus environment shape learning and developmental outcomes. Negative climates involving harassment or discrimination hinder attainment and positive outcomes, while supportive climates support positive learning outcomes.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by jayni