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Introduction <p>This study critically explores how university students interpret and make sense of rape culture in the aftermath of high-profile sexual violence scandals in Nova Scotia. Importantly, this paper centers on students’ perceptions —a vital yet understudied perspective— shedding light on how those most directly impacted by campus culture understand and navigate these dynamics.</p> Methods <p>Data was collected through five focus groups in 2016 (<i>n</i> = 19). The analysis employed thematic analysis and a feminist institutionalist framework, drawing on Acker´s notion of gendered institutions.</p> Results <p>Findings reveal that rape culture in Canadian universities is sustained through gendered norms, social expectations, and transitional vulnerabilities that shape everyday student life.</p> Conclusion <p>Addressing these dynamics requires recognizing how cultural meanings and institutional practices jointly reproduce inequality.</p> Policy Implications <p>Policies should move beyond procedural compliance to embed culturally responsive, student-centered strategies that promote care, consent education, and belonging. Universities must view sexual violence prevention as an ongoing process of cultural transformation rather than a one-time policy goal.</p>

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From Scandal to Awareness: Exploring Rape Culture in Canadian Universities Through Student Voices

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月25日

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  • Mariana I. Paludi,
  • Diane Crocker

摘要

Introduction

This study critically explores how university students interpret and make sense of rape culture in the aftermath of high-profile sexual violence scandals in Nova Scotia. Importantly, this paper centers on students’ perceptions —a vital yet understudied perspective— shedding light on how those most directly impacted by campus culture understand and navigate these dynamics.

Methods

Data was collected through five focus groups in 2016 (n = 19). The analysis employed thematic analysis and a feminist institutionalist framework, drawing on Acker´s notion of gendered institutions.

Results

Findings reveal that rape culture in Canadian universities is sustained through gendered norms, social expectations, and transitional vulnerabilities that shape everyday student life.

Conclusion

Addressing these dynamics requires recognizing how cultural meanings and institutional practices jointly reproduce inequality.

Policy Implications

Policies should move beyond procedural compliance to embed culturally responsive, student-centered strategies that promote care, consent education, and belonging. Universities must view sexual violence prevention as an ongoing process of cultural transformation rather than a one-time policy goal.