Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T18:54:18.090Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 12 - Sexual Behaviour and Gender Identity in Universities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2024

Jane Morris
Jane Morris
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
Get access

Summary

UK university life lends itself to experimentation in sexual behaviour, orientation and gender identity. The experience of sexual liberation can affect trust and communication with students’ culture and family of origin. Casual sexual encounters (‘hooking up’) are common at first. Those who settle into more monogamous ‘dating’ enjoy better mental health. Mental illness is associated with less healthy sexual experiences. The sexual dimension of life is important to the student age group and should be considered in assessment and treatment. Despite the relatively tolerant environment, university LGBTQ+ communities are at higher risk of mental illness. Students with ASD may also need extra support to negotiate sexual development. Some students have previous sexual trauma, which may still be unaddressed. Some school sex education protects students from gender-based violence throughout university, but classes are often delivered without awareness of pupils’ ethical and relational concerns. Social media provides influential, but often misleading sex education. High reliance on online dating is associated with poorer levels of mental health. Excessive alcohol and drug consumption are strongly associated with both perpetrating gender-based violence and becoming a victim.

Keywords

University mental health transition to university ;Student mental healthuniversity sexual behavioursexual violence in universitiessexual violence and drug usestudent alcohol usesexual violence and alcoholstudent gender identity LGBTQIA+ mental healthstudent suicidestudent sex workersuniversity counselling
Type
Chapter
Information
Improving University Mental Health , pp. 178 - 196
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bowring, A. L., Vella, A. M., Degenhardt, L., Hellard, M. & Lim, M. S. (2015). Sexual identity, same-sex partners and risk behaviour among a community-based sample of young people in Australia. International Journal of Drug Policy, 26(2), 153–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Braithwaite, S., Delevi, R. & Fincham, F. (2010). Romantic relationships and the physical and mental health of college students. Personal Relationships, 17(1), 1–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bouman, W. P., Bauer, G. R., Richards, C. & Coleman, E. (2010). World Professional Association for Transgender Health consensus statement on considerations of the role of distress (Criterion D) in the DSM diagnosis of gender identity disorder. International Journal of Transgenderism, 12(2), 100–106.Google Scholar
Cantor, D., Fisher, B., Chibnall, S. H., et al. (2015). Report on the AAU campus climate survey on sexual assault and sexual misconduct. Westat. www.aau.edu/sites/default/files/%40%20Files/Climate%20Survey/AAU_Campus_Climate_Survey_12_14_15.pdfGoogle Scholar
Castelao-Huerta, I. (2022). The discreet habits of subtle violence: An approach to the experiences of women full professors in neoliberal times. Gender and Education, 34(2), 216–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clinton-Sherrod, M., Morgan-Lopez, A. A., Brown, J. M., McMillen, B. A. & Cowell, A. (2011). Incapacitated sexual violence involving alcohol among college women: The impact of a brief drinking intervention. Violence Against Women, 17(1), 135–54.Google Scholar
Connolly, M. D., Zervos, M. J., Barone II, C. J., Johnson, C. C. & Joseph, C. L. (2016). The mental health of transgender youth: Advances in understanding. Journal of Adolescent Health, 59(5), 489–95.Google Scholar
Dargie, E., Blair, K. L., Goldfinger, C. & Pukhall, C. F. (2015). Go long! Predictors of positive relationship outcomes in long distance dating relationships. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 41(2), 181–202.Google Scholar
Dell’Osso, L., Carmassi, C., Carlini, M., et al. (2009). Sexual dysfunctions and suicidality in patients with bipolar disorder and unipolar depression. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 6(11), 3063–70.Google Scholar
Ernst, F., Romanczuk-Seiferth, N., Köhler, S., Amelung, T. & Betzler, F. (2021). Students in the sex industry: Motivations, feelings, risks, and judgments. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 586235.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gana, T. & Hunt, L. M. (2022). Young women and anal sex. BMJ, 378, o1975.Google Scholar
Girlguiding (2014). Girls attitudes survey. www.girlguiding.org.uk/globalassets/docs-and-resources/research-and-campaigns/girls-attitudes-survey-2014.pdfGoogle Scholar
Krebs, C. P., Lindquist, C. H., Warner, T. D., Fisher, B. S. & Martin, S. L. (2009). College women’s experiences with physically forced, alcohol-or other drug-enabled, and drug-facilitated sexual assault before and since entering college. Journal of American College Health, 57(6), 639–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lamb, S., Gable, S. & de Ruyter, D. (2021). Mutuality in Sexual Relationships: A Standard of Ethical Sex?. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 24(1), 271–84.Google Scholar
Liverpool John Moores University (2014). Developing a Sexual Consent Campaign to Raise Awareness and Educate Young Men on Sexual Activity, Consent, Intoxication and the Law of Rape. (2014 Research Excellence Framework Impact Case Study). https://impact.ref.ac.uk/casestudies/CaseStudy.aspx?Id=30013Google Scholar
Lorenz, K. & Ullman, S. E. (2016). Alcohol and sexual assault victimization: Research findings and future directions. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 31, 82–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Montejo, A. L., Montejo, L. & Baldwin, D. S. (2018). The impact of severe mental disorders and psychotropic medications on sexual health and its implications for clinical management. World Psychiatry, 17(1), 3–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mori, C., Temple, J. R., Browne, D. & Madigan, S. (2019). Association of sexting with sexual behaviors and mental health among adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(8), 770–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2012). Autism spectrum disorder in adults: Diagnosis and management. www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/CG142Google Scholar
Netting, N. S. & Reynolds, M. K. (2018). Thirty years of sexual behaviour at a Canadian university: Romantic relationships, hooking up, and sexual choices. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 27(1), 55–68.Google Scholar
Office for National Statistics (2016) Abuse during childhood: Findings from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, year ending March 2016. www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/abuseduringchildhood/findingsfromtheyearendingmarch2016crimesurveyforenglandandwalesGoogle Scholar
Ofsted (2021). Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges. www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-sexual-abuse-in-schools-and-colleges/review-of-sexual-abuse-in-schools-and-collegesGoogle Scholar
Papadopoulos, L. (2010). Sexualisation of young people review. Home Office.Google Scholar
Phipps, A. & Young, I. (2015). ‘Lad culture’ in higher education: Agency in the sexualization debates. Sexualities, 18(4), 459–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramrakha, S., Caspi, A., Dickson, N., Moffitt, T. E. & Paul, C. (2000). Psychiatric disorders and risky sexual behaviour in young adulthood: Cross sectional study in birth cohort. BMJ, 321(7256), 263–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ream, G. L. (2019). What’s unique about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth and young adult suicides? Findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System. Journal of Adolescent Health, 64(5), 602–607.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, R., Bergström, S. & La Rooy, D. (2007). Sex work and students: An exploratory study. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 31(4), 323–34.Google Scholar
Sagar, T., Jones, D., Symons, K., Bowring, J. & Roberts, R. (2015). Student participation in the sex industry: Higher education responses and staff experiences and perceptions. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 37(4), 400–412.Google Scholar
Santelli, J. S., Grilo, S. A., Choo, T. H., et al. (2018). Does sex education before college protect students from sexual assault in college? PLoS ONE, 13(11), e0205951.Google Scholar
Sawyer, A. N., Smith, E. R. & Benotsch, E. G. (2018). Dating application use and sexual risk behavior among young adults. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 15(2), 183–91.Google Scholar
Senn, C. Y., Eliasziw, M., Barata, P. C., et al. (2015). Efficacy of a sexual assault resistance program for university women. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(24), 2326–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shannon, E. R. (2022). Safeguarding and agency: methodological tensions in conducting research with survivors of sexual violence in universities. Social Sciences, 11(8), 350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simonovic, D. (2020) Violence against women, its causes and consequences regarding COVID-19 and the increase of domestic violence against women. Submission to the UN special rapporteur. Human Rights Watch. www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/03/submission-un-special-rapporteur-violence-against-women-its-causes-and-consequencesGoogle Scholar
Smith, G. (2010). Hidden marks: A study of women students’ experiences of harassment, stalking, violence and sexual assault. National Union of Students. https://itstopsnow.org/sites/default/files/2018-02/Hidden Marks-A study of women students’ experiences of harassment, stalking, violence& sexual assault (NUS).pdfGoogle Scholar
Stinson, R. D. (2010). Hooking up in young adulthood: A review of factors influencing the sexual behavior of college students. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 24:2, 98–115.Google Scholar
Universities UK (2016). Changing the culture: Report of the Universities UK taskforce examining violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting university students. www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/sites/default/files/field/downloads/2021-07/changing-the-culture.pdfGoogle Scholar
Wade, L. (2017). American hookup: The new culture of sex on campus. New York, WW Norton & Co.Google Scholar
Wilson, L. C. & Liss, M. (2022). Safety and belonging as explanations for mental health disparities among sexual minority college students. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 9(1), 110–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Young, M. S., Harford, K. L., Kinder, B. & Savell, J. K. (2007). The relationship between childhood sexual abuse and adult mental health among undergraduates: Victim gender doesn’t matter. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 22(10), 1315–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×