2024 Theses Master's

Ivy League Status and Rape Culture on Campus

Bergman, Jenna

Sexual violence on college campuses is a public health problem that hurts students and can affect their ability to get an education in a safe environment. There seems to be a concerted effort by the more prestigious universities to protect the school’s reputation rather than protect the students’ safety. Examining top schools’ methodologies in addressing sexual violence on campus is extremely important in evaluating the safety of a school and how the school does or does not protect their students.

In this thesis, I look for trends in Ivy League universities’ methods of handling cases of gender-based misconduct and connect the relationship between rape culture on college campuses and prominent universities’ status based on public perception of the university. I analyze how prominent universities respond to allegations of sexual misconduct brought to the school by students. Through the lens of international human rights principles on gender-based violence, I explore possible paths for the university to address sexual assault on campuses more effectively. Overall, my thesis aims to assist schools in handling cases of gender-based violence and to promote transparency on the realities of sexual violence on campus, particularly at Ivy League universities that have a reputation to uphold.