Translating TGQN Campus Climate Findings into Practice

Abstract 

Transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, or otherwise gender nonconforming (TGQN) students are individuals whose gender does not match their sex assigned at birth and/or whose gender does  not conform to a binary system of gender categorization (i.e., man or woman). At the University of Pittsburgh, 29% of TGQN students reported being the victim of nonconsensual sexual contact by physical force or inability to consent since college. These reports of sexual violence among TGQN students are between 2 and 7 times higher than other groups on campus (i.e., undergraduate and graduate cisgender men and graduate cisgender women). Further, research examining gender and sexual minority (e.g., gay, lesbian, queer) students together finds that those who experience sexual violence are likely to experience a greater number of sexually violent acts (74% more) during college than are cisgender heterosexual male students. Not only can sexual violence victimization lead to mental and behavioral health concerns, but it can also lead to academic disengagement, lower grade point average, and increased dropout. These studies are consistent with findings at the University of Pittsburgh which indicate that only 23% of TGQN students feel ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ connected to the campus community. While TGQN students at the University of Pittsburgh were more likely to be knowledgeable of policies and reporting procedures than any other group on campus, only 39% perceived that it was very or extremely likely that campus officials would conduct a fair investigation in response to a sexual misconduct report. Campus climate surveys and emerging research increasingly addresses the magnitude of the problem of sexual violence against TGQN college students (i.e., prevalence and incidence); however, little has been done to understand the context and nature of their experiences, their perception of campus service provisions, and the gaps they see in prevention and response efforts.

This project seeks to address the aforementioned gaps with the following activities: (1) a scoping review of the literature to identify campus sexual violence prevention programming targeting TGQN students; (2) Four listening sessions with about 20 TGQN students (4-5/session - from diverse backgrounds and disciplines) on the University of Pittsburgh campus to understand their experiences of violence and discrimination, gaps in service provision, and response to potential prevention efforts; (3) a follow-up survey with the TGQN students who participated in the listening sessions and a community feedback session conducted with community stakeholders to ensure that recommendations to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion align with their vision and needs; and finally (4) the development of a report for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
The current proposal seeks to understand the factors driving the  disparate rates of sexual violence observed among TGQN students at the University of Pittsburgh. To meet the needs of TGQN students at the University of Pittsburgh, we need to talk with them, learn about their experiences, and engage them as critical stakeholders in creating an inclusive campus free of sexual violence.

Project Lead

Rachel Gartner 
Social Work 

Select Collaborators 

Adrian Ballard
Team Member 
Social Work 

Carla Chugani 
Team Member 
Pediatrics

Elizabeth Miller
Team Member 
Pediatrics

Lauren Risser
Team Member
Pediatrics

Janine Talis 
Team Member
Pediatrics