UCLA

To fill a research gap around student survivor navigation of on-campus policy and reporting structures, this study interviewed 14 campus survivor advocacy staff across four sites in California to explore the practices they use to support student survivors, as well as the challenges they face in that work. A literature review includes a brief history of Title IX’s interpretation for college campuses and breaks down key studies. Analysis of interviews found that participants of the study engaged in trauma-informed practices to support student survivors both logistically and emotionally in navigating their healing. The study also found that advocates encounter challenging reactions to student survivor trauma as well as burnout from the lack of staff capacity and impact of federal regulations. Implications for practice and directions for future research address these challenges and put the onus on university administrators to take student and advocate experience into account. It also suggests potential benefits of adding a quantitative lens into the field.