ERIC Number: EJ1260436
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1536-3759
EISSN: N/A
An Exploratory Study of Stalking on Christian Campuses: Does That Happen Here?
Vanderwoerd, James R.; Lankhof, Kadee
Christian Higher Education, v19 n3 p177-191 2020
Despite an increase in the research on stalking, much is still unknown about the incidence of stalking in higher-education campus populations. Specifically, most studies report prevalence (defined as lifetime or longer-term occurrences) rather than incidence (defined as recent occurrences, often within the past year, or since being in college), or fail to distinguish between them. Further, even though independent religious colleges and universities represent a substantial portion of postsecondary institutions, particularly within the North American context, little research exists on how the religious characteristics of an institution might influence stalking. This study contributes to the literature by providing improved estimates of the incidence of stalking--conceptualized as obsessive relational intrusion--based on a sample of students (N = 668) from eight independent Christian institutions of higher education in Canada. Incidence rates vary widely in the literature based on variations in sampling, definitions, and measurement. Compared to published incidence rates ranging from 4% to over 40%, this study found that 18% of all students and 23% of women students in Canadian Christian colleges reported experiencing one or more types of stalking behavior five times or more since age 18. An examination of factors related to stalking victimization revealed that only gender had an influence, affirming previous research that women are at greater risk for sexual violence than men. This study provides evidence that these Christian colleges are not immune to various forms of sexual violence and that college personnel must be vigilant in developing policies and programs to prevent and reduce stalking on their campuses.
Descriptors: Campuses, Christianity, Church Related Colleges, Incidence, Institutional Characteristics, Private Colleges, Young Adults, Foreign Countries, At Risk Persons, Females, Victims, Undergraduate Students, Sexual Harassment, Moral Values, Religious Education
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A