Structural and Sport-related Barriers to Formally Reporting Sexual Violence Among Undergraduate Student-athletes

Purpose Experiences of violence and abuse are becoming well recognized as a problem across sport settings, and nearly a third of student-athletes on college campuses experience sexual violence (SV). Filing a formal report can allow those who experience SV to receive institutional supports and services, however few choose to do so. The aim of this study was to identify structural and sport-related barriers to formally reporting SV among collegiate student-athletes. Methods We surveyed student-athletes at 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institutions across the United States to understand perceived barriers to formally reporting SV. We analyzed responses using descriptive statistics for closed-ended questions and inductive thematic analysis for open-ended questions. Results In our sample of student-athletes (n = 1,004), 23% stated they would feel worried about formally reporting SV because of their membership in a particular identity group and 31% because of sport-related factors. In open-ended responses, student-athletes noted barriers to reporting at multiple levels: society, institution and athletic department, coach, and team. For example, student-athletes were concerned about negative perceptions and responses of teammates and coaches if they were to report, particularly because of stereotypes based on gender, race, sexual orientation, and religion. Other barriers included fear of negatively affecting their team standing or altering team dynamics. Conclusions Our results highlight the need to address athlete-specific barriers to formally reporting SV. Efforts to change reporting-relevant policy or practice should center the experiences of minoritized athletes who may be facing heightened barriers to reporting.