Too Little, Too Late: Consent Education, Sexual Practice, and Institutional Power in College Life

Allison Dayton; Alecea Standlee

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.22.1.04

Authors

Allison Dayton University of Virginia School of Law, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7624-9558
Alecea Standlee Gettysburg College, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4468-7145

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.22.1.04

Keywords:

Consent Education, College Students, Sexual Assault Prevention, Consent

Abstract

Despite widespread efforts to address sexual assault on US college campuses through consent education, understanding and practicing consent remains a complex and under-researched area. Consent, defined as clear, continuous, and voluntary communication, is often emphasized as a preventive measure against sexual assault. However, high rates of sexual assault, particularly among college students, highlight the limitations of current educational approaches. Our study examines college students’ conceptualizations of consent, their application of consent in sexual relationships, and their views on the effectiveness of consent education. Findings indicate that many students harbor concerns about consent education, particularly regarding best practices, the influence of alcohol, and individual interpretations of consent. Notably, students report that their educational experiences have a limited impact on their understanding of and practices regarding consent, and they often struggle to apply these concepts effectively in real-world contexts. These findings underscore the need for more nuanced and impactful educational consent strategies that address the complexities of consent in intimate relationships and provide clearer guidance on managing factors like alcohol. This research aims to inform more effective approaches for activists and educational institutions in reducing campus sexual assault.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Allison Dayton, University of Virginia School of Law, USA

Allison Dayton is in her second year as a law student at the University of Virginia School of Law. Prior to attending law school, she worked for the U.S. Department of Justice in the Antitrust Division as a paralegal. In 2023, she graduated summa cum laude from Gettysburg College with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Public Policy. Through her mentor, Sociology Professor Alecea Standlee, she developed a passion for studying and remedying systemic inequalities, which continues to shape her legal education.

Alecea Standlee, Gettysburg College, USA

Alecea Standlee is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Gettysburg College, who specializes in teaching and research in the areas of gender, social theory, sociology of technology, and social inequality. Her current scholarship examines the social and cultural implications of contemporary interpersonal communication technologies, with a specific interest in the role of socio-economic status, gender, and geographic location in the formation of interpersonal relationships and complex social networks. Her publications have made contributions not only to substantive theorizing in culture, technology studies, socialization, and inequality, but also to the emerging field of online research methods. Prof. Standlee particularly enjoys working with and mentoring talented young scholars, such as Allison Dayton.

References

Astle, Shelby et al. 2021. “To Talk or Not to Talk: An Analysis of Parents’ Intentions to Talk with Children About Different Sexual Topics Using the Theory of Planned Behavior.” Sexuality Research and Social Policy 19:705-721.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00587-6

Baldwin-White, Adrienne. 2021. “‘When a Girl Says No, You Should Be Persistent Until She Says Yes’: College Students and Their Beliefs About Consent.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 36(19-20):10619-10644.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519875552

Curtis, Jena Nicols and Susan Burnett. 2017. “Affirmative Consent: What Do College Students Think About ‘Yes Means Yes’ as the Standard for Sexual Behavior?” American Journal of Sexuality Education 12(3):201-214.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2017.1328322

Foucault, Michel. 1984. “Right of Death and Power Over Life.” Pp. 258-172 in The Foucault Reader, edited by Paul Rabinow. New York: Pantheon Books.
Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel. 2000. “The Subject and Power.” Pp. 326-348 in Power: Essential Works of Foucault 1954-1984, edited by James D. Faubion. New York: The New Press.
Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel. 2003. Society Must Be Defended: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1975-76. New York: Picador.
Google Scholar

Goodcase, Eric, Chelsea Spencer, and Michelle Toews. 2021. “Who Understands Consent? A Latent Profile Analysis of College Students’ Attitudes Toward Consent.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 36(15-16):7495-7504.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519836786

Graham, Laurie et al. 2017. “Sexual Assault Policies and Consent Definitions: A Nationally Representative Investigation of U.S. Colleges and Universities.” Journal of School Violence 16(3):243-258.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2017.1318572

Groggel, Anne, Maddie Burdick, and Angel Barazza. 2021. “She Left the Party: College Students’ Meanings of Sexual Consent.” Violence Against Women 27(6-7):766-789.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801220911462

Hardesty, Melissa et al. 2022. “Indiscrete: How Typical College Student Sexual Behavior Troubles Affirmative Consent’s Demand for Clear Communication.” Sexuality Research & Social Policy 19(3):1114-1129.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00611-9

Hust, Stacey, Kathleen Rodgers, and Benjamin Bayly. 2017. “Scripting Sexual Consent: Internalized Traditional Sexual Scripts and Sexual Consent Expectancies Among College Students.” Family Relations 66(1):197-210.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12230

Jozkowski, Kristen and Zoë Peterson. 2013. “College Students and Sexual Consent: Unique Insights.” The Journal of Sex Research 50(6):517-523.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.700739

Jozkowski, Kristen and Jacquelyn Wiersma. 2015. “Does Drinking Alcohol Before Sexual Activity Influence College Students’ Consent?” International Journal of Sexual Health 27(2):156-174.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2014.951505

Knott, Elenor et al. 2022. “Interviews in the Social Sciences.” Nature Reviews Methods Primers 2:73(2022).
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43586-022-00150-6

MacDougall, Airica et al. 2020. “Consent: University Students’ Perceptions of Their Sexual Consent Education.” The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality 29(2):154-166.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2020-0007

Means, Barbara et al. 2013. “The Effectiveness of Online and Blended Learning: A Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Literature.” Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education 115(3):1-47.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811311500307

Morgan, Rachel E. and Jennifer L. Truman. 2019. “Criminal Victimization, 2019.” Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved November 16, 2022 (https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv19.pdf).
Google Scholar

Ortiz, Rebecca and Autumn Shafer. 2018. “Unblurring the Lines of Sexual Consent with a College Student-Driven Sexual Consent Education Campaign.” Journal of American College Health 66(6):450-456.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1431902

Setty, Emily. 2021. “Sex and Consent in Contemporary Youth Culture: The ‘Ideals’ and the ‘Realities.’” Sex Education 21(3):331-346.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2020.1802242

Singleton, Tyra. 2017. “Conflicting Definitions of Sexual Assault and Consent: The Ramifications of Title IX Male Gender Discrimination Claims Against College Campuses.” UC Law SF Journal on Gender and Justice 28(2):155-179.
Google Scholar

Small, Mario L. and Jenna M. Cook. 2023. “Using Interviews to Understand Why: Challenges and Strategies in the Study of Motivated Action.” Sociological Methods & Research 52(4):1591-1631.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124121995552

Thomas, Kristie, Susan Sorenson, and Manisha Joshi. 2016. “‘Consent is Good, Joyous, Sexy’: A Banner Campaign to Market Consent to College Students.” Journal of American College Health 64(8):639-650.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2016.1217869