Date Approved
2018
Degree Type
Open Access Senior Honors Thesis
Department or School
Psychology
First Advisor
Pamela Landau
Second Advisor
Stephen D. Jefferson
Third Advisor
Carol Freedman-Doan
Abstract
One in five women and one in sixteen men are sexually assaulted while attending college (Krebs et al., 2007; White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, 2014). The inconsistencies in the definition of "sexual consent" may determine which behaviors constitute sexual assault and rape and, in tum, affect victims' rights as well as conviction and sentencing rates. Insufficient standard definitions of sexual consent or consensual sexual behaviors have resulted in many aggressors serving little to no time in jail (Kahan, 2010). Specifically defining consent and educating college students about its meaning could affect the prevalence of sexual assault. Previous studies focusing on sexual consent have stressed this importance, but research is limited. The purpose of this review is to investigate the effects of operationally defining and understanding consent, and consensual sexual behaviors, on the behaviors and attitudes of college students, as a deterrent for sexual assault.
Recommended Citation
Dixie, Kyana, "Defining consent as a factor in sexual assault prevention" (2018). Senior Honors Theses and Projects. 604.
https://commons.emich.edu/honors/604