| Popis: |
Over the past decade, several authors have conducted studies on samples of college students to gain a greater understanding of victimization among this population. This body of research has demonstrated that in comparison to the general public, college students are more likely to report having experienced sexual and stalking victimization. At the same that this research was being carried out, a related but independent body of research began exploring victimization among another high risk population, individuals with disabilities. This exploration produced evidence that individuals with disabilities appear to be at an increased risk of victimization when compared to their counterparts without disabilities. The purpose of this dissertation is to bridge the gap in these two bodies of research by examining the relationship between disability status and sexual and stalking victimization among a national-level sample of college students. This study extends upon past research by: 1) estimating multivariate models that control for known risk factors of victimization derived from the lifestyles-routine activities framework, 2) utilizing multiple operationalizations of disability, and 3) examining various types of victimization. Bivariate results demonstrate that there was a significantly larger proportion of sexual and stalking victims among students with disabilities in comparison to students without disabilities. Multivariate results indicate that disability status is a significant predictor of sexual and stalking victimization even after controlling for risk factors of victimization among college students. In each of the estimated models, students with disabilities were significantly more likely to report having been victimized. On average, individuals with mental disabilities or multiple types of disabilities experienced the greatest likelihood of sexual and stalking victimization. Implications for future research and prevention/policy are explored. |
