Manufactured or Perceived? Mitigating Barriers to Accessing Support for Survivors of Interpersonal Violence at Princeton University

Abstract

Everyone knows that sexual misconduct, particularly sexual assault, is horrifyingly prevalent on college campuses around the United States. Sadly, many survivors have trouble getting the proper support that they need after experiencing such a traumatic event. This thesis uses the theoretical lens of universities as bureaucratic institutions to both understand and mitigate these barriers to accessing care through a consideration of restriction of access to Title IX Offices. I have divided the paper into 6 sections, all culminating in a series of recommendations for policy changes to Princeton University to provide appropriate support for students, drawing upon my autoethnographic experiences as a SHARE Peer, a survey sent to first-years and seniors, and an interview with the SHARE Office. This was done in the hopes of making practical and digestible changes that weigh the University’s vested interests with their obligations to the safety and well-being of their students.