An Open Space to Discuss Sexual Violence in Academia

By Malachi Willis

Each year before the official start of the annual SPSP convention, researchers, academics, professionals, and students gather for one-day mini-conferences that focus on a specific area of interest within personality and social psychology. Over time, these sessions have evolved—sometimes resulting in new themes. In 2019, there will be twenty-eight returning and three inaugural preconferences. One of the newcomers addresses a timely topic discussed in mainstream and academic settings: sexual violence.

The first Sexual Violence Preconference is being planned by three SPSP members—Drs. Kathryn Klement, Nicole Lozano, and Sharon Nelson. The idea for creating this preconference began two years ago when Dr. Klement chaired a symposium on rape myths at the 2017 SPSP Annual Convention. Several SPSP members in attendance expressed their appreciation for research focusing on sexual violence as a social problem, inspiring Dr. Klement to pursue further avenues for such research at SPSP.

Sexual violence is indeed a pervasive cultural problem. “With Judge Kavanaugh's recent confirmation hearing, we saw on a very large and very public scale what often happens to people who do report their experiences,” says Dr. Lozano. She believes that similarly problematic power dynamics exist in academia—making it difficult for students or professors who do report sexual violence. Further, Dr. Klement says the positivist perspective in science “can immediately cast doubt on any accusations of sexual victimization,” even though research indicates that the rate of false reporting for sexual crimes is small—between 2% to 10%.

Regarding the Sexual Violence Preconference, Dr. Klement envisions a place for attendees to discuss sexual harassment and assault in academic settings. “It was important to create a space where people could talk about concerns and fears and ways of coping with this subject matter, whether as academics, instructors, professionals, or students,” says Dr. Klement. According to Dr. Lozano, the morning session of the preconference will include standard presentations of recent research on sexual violence; the afternoon will be dedicated to roundtables and panels aimed at fostering discussion.

While the preconference is a great first step toward acknowledging sexual violence in academic settings, there are further steps that SPSP or the field of psychology might take. Drs. Klement and Lozano recommend listening to people’s stories and amplifying their voices. At academic conferences, attendees often quietly share anecdotes to warn others of the dubious and sometimes dangerous behavior of their colleagues. These whispers should be voiced in open spaces to empower victims and survivors

In addition to the Sexual Violence Preconference, SPSP has moved in the direction of realizing this goal by creating a Sexual Harassment Task Force. If you are unable to attend the Sexual Violence Preconference but would like more information on relevant resources, you may contact the co-chairs of this task force: Drs. Ozlem Ayduk and Sam Sommers.