Collegiate Athletes and Sexual Assault: Justice for Victims Amid Perpetrator Protections
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v11i1.2413Keywords:
College, Collegiate Athletes, Sports, Women, Men, Sexual Assault, Sexual Violence, NCAA, VictimsAbstract
This research paper reviews existing research and attitudes on the paradigm of a quiet, yet pervasive reality that exists within collegiate level athletics. A reality that defies federal law, and protects male athletes from facing repercussions for perpetrating acts of sexual misconduct--disproportionately affecting young women, typically of college age, and already the most vulnerable to sexual abuses such as assault and harassment. In the US, women face disproportionate rates of sexual assault-- their male counterparts making up the overwhelming perpetrator demographic. But, few know collegiate male athletes, and inter-collegiate athletic authorities and leadership perpetrate and enable these crimes, on college campuses at even more alarming rates. This raises the question of how do the ethical protections provided to collegiate level male athletes in the U.S. accused of sexual assault disproportionately impact the justice of victims? And, how must stakeholders act to resolve the injustices and disproportionalities that exist? The research findings conclude that The NCAA and OCR must be held accountable, via an Athlete and Accomplice Accountability Act (Quad-A), a framework devised for a legislative mandate that provides for the eliminations of current “recommendations” for handling sexual assault allegations, in addition to furthered enforcement of victim protections among other facets.
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References
Beaver, W. (2019). College Athletes and Sexual Assault. Society, 56(6), 620–624. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-019-00426-w
Berkowitz A. (1992). College men as perpetrators of acquaintance rape and sexual assault: a review of recent research. Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 40(4), 175–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.1992.9936279
Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics. (2012). https://www.rainn.org/statistics/campus-sexual-violence
Clay Travis, The 20 Most Profitable College Football Teams, OUTKICK THE COVERAGE (Dec. 22, 2015), http://www.outkickthecoverage.com/the-20-most-profitable-college-football- teams-122215.
Dennis Van Milligen, Blurred Lines, ATHLETIC BUS., Apr. 2015, at 58, available at http://www.athleticbusiness.com/rules-regulations/college-athletic-departments-role-in- investigating-sexual-assaults.html.
"Empowering Women Through Sport," from Olympic Review,by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women
Goodson, A., Franklin, C. A., & Bouffard, L. A. (2021). Male peer support and sexual assault: the relation between high-profile, high school sports participation and sexually predatory behaviour. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 27(1), 64–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2020.1733111
Jaime, M. C. D., McCauley, H. L., Tancredi, D. J., Decker, M. R., Silverman, J. G., O, C. B., Miller, E., & O'Connor, B. (2018). Implementing a Coach-Delivered Dating Violence Prevention Program with High School Athletes. Prevention Science, 19(8), 1113–1122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-018-0909-2
Jones, K. A., Tancredi, D. J., Abebe, K. Z., Paglisotti, T., & Miller, E. (2021). Cases of Sexual Assault Prevented in an Athletic Coach-Delivered Gender Violence Prevention Program. Prevention Science, 22(4), 504–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01210-1
Journal of American College Health, 55(3). (n.d.).
Katie Thomas, Long Fights for Sports Equity, Even With a Law, N.Y. TIMES (July 28, 2011),http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/sports/review-shows-title-ix-is-not-significantly- enforced.html?_r=0
Kelly, C. (2019). Ncaa: No Consequences against Athletes. Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, 50(4), 793–815.
Kinsman v. Fla. State Univ. Bd. of Trs., No. 4:15cv235-MW/CAS, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 180599, at *4 (N.D. Fla. Aug. 12, 2015).
Ladika, S., Bangen, M., & Wade, L. (2017). Sports and Sexual Assault: Can colleges and pro leagues curb abuse by athletes? CQ Researcher, 27(16), 361–384.
The Majority of Sexual Assaults Are Not Reported to the Police. (n.d.). https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system
Marquette Sports Law Review, 26(2). (2016).
Mary Grace Miller, The NCAA and the Student-Athlete: Reform Is On the Horizon, 46 U. RICH. L. REV. 1141, 1141 (May 2012).
McGovern, J. (2021). Strong Women Never Mumble: Female Athlete Attitudes About Sexual Consent. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(1/2), 751–780. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517730022
McMahon, S. (2015). Participation in High School Sports and Bystander Intentions, Efficacy to Intervene, and Rape Myth Beliefs. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(17), 2980–2998. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260514555009
Pica, E., Sheahan, C., & Pozzulo, J. (2020). "But He's a Star Football Player!": How Social Status Influences Mock Jurors' Perceptions in a Sexual Assault Case. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(19/20), 3963–3985. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517713715
"Proper Place for Sports," by Theodore Roosevelt
Rollero, C., & Tartaglia, S. (2019). The Effect of Sexism and Rape Myths on Victim Blame. Sexuality & Culture, 23(1), 209–219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-018-9549-8
Sexual Violence is Preventable. (n.d.). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/sexual-violence/index.html
Tibbetts, C. (2020). The FEMALE Act: Bringing Title IX into the Twenty-First Century. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law, 22(3), 697–724.
Trisha Ananiades, Penalty on the Field: Creating a NCAA Sexual Assault Policy, 19 VILL.SPORTS & ENT. L.J. 463, 471 (2012)
Waterhouse-Watson, D. (2019). "I Would Hate To See Our Good Name Tarnished": Twitter Users Respond to Sexual Assault in Football. Journal of Australian Studies, 43(1), 22–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/14443058.2018.1552609
Watson, D. W. (n.d.). Athletes, Sexual Assault and 'Trials by Media': Narrative Immunity: Routledge Research in Sport, Culture, and Society.
Wiersma-Mosley, J. D., & Jozkowski, K. N. (2019). A Brief Report of Sexual Violence among Universities with NCAA Division I Athletic Programs. Behavioral Sciences (2076-328X), 9(2), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs9020017
Young, B.-R., Desmarais, S. L., Baldwin, J. A., & Chandler, R. (2017). Sexual Coercion Practices Among Undergraduate Male Recreational Athletes, Intercollegiate Athletes, and Non-Athletes. Violence Against Women, 23(7), 795–812. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801216651339
References
Beaver, W. (2019). College Athletes and Sexual Assault. Society, 56(6), 620–624. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-019-00426-w
Berkowitz A. (1992). College men as perpetrators of acquaintance rape and sexual assault: a review of recent research. Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 40(4), 175–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.1992.9936279
Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics. (2012). https://www.rainn.org/statistics/campus-sexual-violence
Clay Travis, The 20 Most Profitable College Football Teams, OUTKICK THE COVERAGE (Dec. 22, 2015), http://www.outkickthecoverage.com/the-20-most-profitable-college-football- teams-122215.
Dennis Van Milligen, Blurred Lines, ATHLETIC BUS., Apr. 2015, at 58, available at http://www.athleticbusiness.com/rules-regulations/college-athletic-departments-role-in- investigating-sexual-assaults.html.
"Empowering Women Through Sport," from Olympic Review,by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women
Goodson, A., Franklin, C. A., & Bouffard, L. A. (2021). Male peer support and sexual assault: the relation between high-profile, high school sports participation and sexually predatory behaviour. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 27(1), 64–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2020.1733111
Jaime, M. C. D., McCauley, H. L., Tancredi, D. J., Decker, M. R., Silverman, J. G., O, C. B., Miller, E., & O'Connor, B. (2018). Implementing a Coach-Delivered Dating Violence Prevention Program with High School Athletes. Prevention Science, 19(8), 1113–1122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-018-0909-2
Jones, K. A., Tancredi, D. J., Abebe, K. Z., Paglisotti, T., & Miller, E. (2021). Cases of Sexual Assault Prevented in an Athletic Coach-Delivered Gender Violence Prevention Program. Prevention Science, 22(4), 504–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01210-1
Journal of American College Health, 55(3). (n.d.).
Katie Thomas, Long Fights for Sports Equity, Even With a Law, N.Y. TIMES (July 28, 2011),http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/sports/review-shows-title-ix-is-not-significantly- enforced.html?_r=0
Kelly, C. (2019). Ncaa: No Consequences against Athletes. Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, 50(4), 793–815.
Kinsman v. Fla. State Univ. Bd. of Trs., No. 4:15cv235-MW/CAS, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 180599, at *4 (N.D. Fla. Aug. 12, 2015).
Ladika, S., Bangen, M., & Wade, L. (2017). Sports and Sexual Assault: Can colleges and pro leagues curb abuse by athletes? CQ Researcher, 27(16), 361–384.
The Majority of Sexual Assaults Are Not Reported to the Police. (n.d.). https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system
Marquette Sports Law Review, 26(2). (2016).
Mary Grace Miller, The NCAA and the Student-Athlete: Reform Is On the Horizon, 46 U. RICH. L. REV. 1141, 1141 (May 2012).
McGovern, J. (2021). Strong Women Never Mumble: Female Athlete Attitudes About Sexual Consent. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(1/2), 751–780. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517730022
McMahon, S. (2015). Participation in High School Sports and Bystander Intentions, Efficacy to Intervene, and Rape Myth Beliefs. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(17), 2980–2998. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260514555009
Pica, E., Sheahan, C., & Pozzulo, J. (2020). "But He's a Star Football Player!": How Social Status Influences Mock Jurors' Perceptions in a Sexual Assault Case. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(19/20), 3963–3985. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517713715
"Proper Place for Sports," by Theodore Roosevelt
Rollero, C., & Tartaglia, S. (2019). The Effect of Sexism and Rape Myths on Victim Blame. Sexuality & Culture, 23(1), 209–219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-018-9549-8
Sexual Violence is Preventable. (n.d.). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/sexual-violence/index.html
Tibbetts, C. (2020). The FEMALE Act: Bringing Title IX into the Twenty-First Century. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law, 22(3), 697–724.
Trisha Ananiades, Penalty on the Field: Creating a NCAA Sexual Assault Policy, 19 VILL.SPORTS & ENT. L.J. 463, 471 (2012)
Waterhouse-Watson, D. (2019). "I Would Hate To See Our Good Name Tarnished": Twitter Users Respond to Sexual Assault in Football. Journal of Australian Studies, 43(1), 22–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/14443058.2018.1552609
Watson, D. W. (n.d.). Athletes, Sexual Assault and 'Trials by Media': Narrative Immunity: Routledge Research in Sport, Culture, and Society.
Wiersma-Mosley, J. D., & Jozkowski, K. N. (2019). A Brief Report of Sexual Violence among Universities with NCAA Division I Athletic Programs. Behavioral Sciences (2076-328X), 9(2), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs9020017
Young, B.-R., Desmarais, S. L., Baldwin, J. A., & Chandler, R. (2017). Sexual Coercion Practices Among Undergraduate Male Recreational Athletes, Intercollegiate Athletes, and Non-Athletes. Violence Against Women, 23(7), 795–812. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801216651339
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