Background
On August 31, 2021, President Susan R. Wente announced that Wake Forest would conduct the school’s first campus climate survey on sexual misconduct. This survey would provide critical insights into the prevalence of sexual misconduct at WFU and the effectiveness of current prevention education and training, student outreach and awareness-raising efforts, Title IX policies and procedures, and survivor support services. NORC at the University of Chicago conducted the survey in the spring of 2022, and 2,713 students provided complete survey responses (for an overall response rate of 38%).
Institutional Reports
The results of this Wake Forest Campus Climate Survey will provide critical insights into the prevalence of sexual misconduct at WFU and the effectiveness of current prevention education and training, student outreach and awareness-raising efforts, Title IX policies and procedures, and survivor support services.
What has happened
In partnership with students, we have continued making improvements related to sexual misconduct through the following efforts:
- Created the Sexual Assault Prevention, Support, Accountability (SAPSA) Taskforce
- Partnered with the Student Government to develop strategies to improve the campus climate
- Refined bystander intervention and prevention initiatives
- Implemented “Start with Safe” branding for the Safe Office
- Enhanced the (online) training for incoming students
- Funded and hired an Interpersonal Violence Prevention Coordinator
- Engaged NORC at the University of Chicago to design and coordinate the climate survey process
ConsentCon update
The University announced that it will hold ConsentCon on Feb. 17, 2023, and that it is requesting proposals. Read the message »
Nov. 7 update
On Nov. 7, 2022, Wake Forest shared an update with the campus community about the survey, the University’s other recent efforts around campus climate and upcoming forums.
Read the messages:
Students | Faculty / Staff
Frequently Asked Questions
A total of 7,357 undergraduate and graduate students were surveyed, and 2,713 participated, yielding a response rate of 38%. In a similar survey, administered by the Association of American Universities (AAU), the response rate was 21.9% across 33 colleges and universities.
The summary report will be posted after all of the facilitated sessions have been completed.
A community-engaged process involves understanding the data and working together toward action-oriented solutions. This important work will continue with the forums that are scheduled for students, staff, and faculty and follow-up sessions with student organizations and additional entities as needed.
The University supports these efforts through three primary offices, the Office of Wellbeing (Prevention), The Safe Office, which is part of the University Counseling Center (Intervention), and the Office of Title IX (Investigation and Compliance). This collaborative team, in partnership with students, will lead the efforts around understanding the data and continuing to inform/refine our existing efforts regarding sexual misconduct. Other ongoing projects include:
- Continuing to clarify Title IX policies and procedures around reporting sexual misconduct
- Maximizing the newly hired Interpersonal Violence Coordinator
- Determining new pathways for increasing resource utilization
- Hosting, a campus-wide conference, in February 2023 geared at continuing the dialogue
- Planning and executing the next climate survey in three to four years
The Safe Office provides confidential crisis response and on-going support services to Reynolda Campus students for concerns related to interpersonal violence (including sexual misconduct, relationship violence, and stalking). While there are a number of resources available, we recommend that students start with the Safe Office, who can refer them to additional resources that are available on campus.
The university plans to complete the survey every three to four years.
The first step is to share the data with students, faculty, and staff along with the recommendations from NORC.
In partnership with students, we will gather feedback and reactions from the community and continue to use the data to guide our work related to sexual misconduct and related concerns.
The data will also help inform our new and continued systems of assessment and accountability.
There are several opportunities for students to get involved with this important work:
- Safe Office Crew (SOC) – The Safe Office Crew is a group of undergraduate and graduate students from across campus who are dedicated to promoting healthy relationships and sexual assault prevention at Wake Forest.
- Student Sexual Assault Prevention Support & Accountability Group (SAPSA) – Developed October 2021, this student-led committee became a part of Student Government. The committee was instrumental in partnering with the Office of the President to develop the Campus Climate Survey with NORC. The committee consists of students involved in organizations all across campus and works alongside the Office of Wellbeing, Title IX Office, the Women’s Center.
- Engage in Peer Education and learn more about Sexual Health.
Each of us has an opportunity to cultivate a caring community on campus. Given the roles of faculty and staff, it is important to know the resources that are available.
If a student discloses that they have experienced interpersonal violence (such as sexual violence, sexual harassment, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking) it is important to find out the student currently feels safe, provide non-judgmental support, and provide referrals to confidential resources that are available.
We recommend faculty and staff request a Safe Office consultation or presentation on supporting students with traumatic experiences, being a trauma-informed instructor/ mentor/ leader.
Additional opportunities include joining the Culture of Respect coalition and attending Consent Con, a campus-wide conference that is slated for February 2023.
We also encourage faculty and staff to seek resources related to reporting that can be found on the Title IX and Safe Office websites.
The final report will be available to the campus community in the spring semester.
Glossary
For the purpose of the study, the following definitions were used to describe these terms.
Sexual harassment:
- insulting/offensive sexual remarks, jokes stories
- inappropriate comments about body, appearance, or sexual activities
- social or online media to communicate offensive sexual remarks, jokes stories, pictures, or videos
- persistent invitations for dinner, have drinks, or sex after refusal
Stalking:
- unwanted phone calls, emails, voice, text, instant messages, postings, or engagement on social media/online mediums
- “showing up” uninvited
- spying, watching, or following in person or monitoring activities
- tracking location using devices or software
Non-consensual or unwanted sexual contact:
- contact involving penetration or oral sex without active, ongoing voluntary agreement
- kissing or other sexual touching without active, ongoing voluntary agreement
Intimate partner violence:
- partner controls or tries to control
- threats to physically harm partner, someone they love, or self-harm
- use of any kind of physical force
Resources for Students
One experience of sexual misconduct in our community is one too many. If you need assistance with issues related to interpersonal violence (including sexual misconduct, relationship violence, and stalking), Start with Safe:
Safe Office (Call the 24/7 confidential Helpline at 336.758.5285)