The Prevalence and Psychological Cost of Interpersonal Violence in Graduate and Law School

Abstract

There is a rich research literature linking interpersonal violence to mental health disorders among undergraduate students. However, scholars know less about the prevalence and consequences of victimization among students enrolled in postbaccalaureate programs. Graduate and law students are uniquely vulnerable in their dependence on programs for financial support and career advancement, and they are more isolated than undergraduates. We explore the experiences of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and stalking in a sample of 1,149 male and female master’s, doctoral, and law students at a southeastern public university. First, the current study estimates prevalence rates of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and stalking across participant characteristics such as gender, race, sexual orientation, and degree program. We find higher rates of sexual harassment among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQ+) women and multiracial students and higher rates of coercion and stalking among women. Second, following a longstanding literature on experiences with violence among undergraduate women, we demonstrate the effects of interpersonal violence on depression and anxiety. A series of multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) suggests a heightened risk of mental health disturbances among law students, women, and LGBTQ+ students. Importantly, interpersonal violence partially explains these heightened levels of depression and anxiety in these groups. Given increasing rates of enrollment in postbaccalaureate programs, our findings suggest an unfulfilled need for the assessment, prevention, and treatment of individuals regarding the experiences of interpersonal violence and mental illness among graduate and law students. Student services should develop education and prevention programming for students and faculty to alleviate the occurrence and consequences of victimization while being mindful of the unique experiences of sexually and racially minoritized students.