What Happened? How Did I Get Here?: Consent and Sexual Assault on a College Campus

Abstract

Abby was a first semester college freshman and, like many of her friends, her fall semester came with a learning curve. College had started a bit rocky for her—she was an hour away from her small, rural hometown and her high school boyfriend, Russell. She also quickly discovered the importance of reading the syllabus in her college classes (it only took one missed quiz—yikes!). Abby was a first-generation college student; her Dad worked at the one and only factory in her hometown, which employed most of her friends’ parents. Her Mom had stayed at home to raise Abby and her siblings. She had grown up in a very structured household with set weekly activities—youth group on Wednesday nights, church every Sunday morning, and family dinners every Sunday night. Abby stayed out of trouble all through high school . . . she didn’t drink alcohol or smoke, and she made relatively good grades. She had been so excited to go to college and experience the world outside of her hometown—to find out who she was meant to be.