"Call for Help Immediately": A Discourse Analysis of Resident Assistants' Responses to Sexual Assault Disclosures. (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Holland, Kathryn J.; Bedera, Nicole
• Is Part Of: Violence against women. Volume 26:Number 11(2020)
• Page Start: 1383
• Page End: 1402
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: sexual assault -- college -- social support; Abused women -- Periodicals; Women -- Crimes against -- Periodicals; Violent crimes -- Periodicals; Femmes victimes de violence -- Périodiques; Femmes, Crimes contre les -- Périodiques; Crimes violents -- Périodiques; 362.8292
• DOI: 10.1177/1077801219863879
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-8012

Abstract

Formal support providers can play a critical role in sexual assault survivors' well-being (e.g., providing resource referrals). In a university setting, resident assistants (RAs) are key support providers with a unique relationship to survivors based on their dual roles as help-provider and peer. We examined 305 RAs' responses to student sexual assault disclosure scenarios. Employing a critical discourse analysis, we identified four discourses used by RAs in their discussion of resources: controlling, gatekeeping, minimizing, and empowering. Due to power dynamics between RAs and residents, we conclude that empowering discourses would facilitate survivors' access to other resources (e.g., sexual assault center).