Survey Results: Massachusetts Sexual Misconduct Survey

The survey aims to understand the prevalence and impact of sexual misconduct, student awareness of reporting practices, and available resources. Hampshire implemented the approved model survey and questions developed and provided by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in order to carry out the survey.

All survey responses were anonymized and kept strictly confidential. Student participation was voluntary, with participants reserving the right to skip any question or stop at any time.

Response Rate

In May of 2025, the survey was distributed to all 765 active Hampshire students. Once the survey concluded in July 2025, 149 participants had completed a sufficient amount of the survey for their responses to be included in the analysis, yielding a participation rate of approximately 20%.

Sexual Misconduct and Reporting

Approximately 54% of participants indicated they had experienced at least one instance of sexual misconduct including sexual or gender-based harassment, intimate partner violence, stalking, or sexual assault since they had been a student at Hampshire.

Of participants who experienced sexual misconduct, approximately 26% indicated they did not report the incident to the College. The most common reason for not reporting the misconduct involved thinking the incident was not serious enough to report. The second most common reason involved participants thinking they could handle the situation on their own, followed by thinking that the available resources would not provide them with the help they needed.

Of the sexual misconduct indicated by participants, sexual harassment and stalking incidents comprised the most prevalent types of sexual misconduct. Approximately 37% of participants indicated they had experienced at least one instance of sexual harassment by a peer. Reported sexual harassment included offensive remarks, unwanted dating requests, unwelcome sexual comments or jokes through electronic form, inappropriate gestures, attempts to draw participants into unwelcome discussions of sexual matters, as well as sexist remarks.

Approximately 36% of students indicated they had experienced at least one occurrence of stalking behavior such as being watched or followed from a distance, being approached by or seeing someone appear in places participants did not want them to be, finding strange or potentially threatening items left for participants to find, someone breaking in to participants’ home or car and letting them know they had been there, receiving unwanted calls, emails, or messages, and rumors being spread.

The least prevalent type of misconduct reported by participants was gender or sexual orientation-based violence that was not of a sexual nature, with over 95% of participants reporting no incidents in this category.

Bystander intervention

The majority of participants reported being prosocial bystanders and supporting their peers on at least one occasion. Bystander engagement included ensuring inebriated peers weren’t left behind by their friends at social events, speaking up against sexist jokes, asking peers who looked upset if they needed help, intervening when a friend was being verbally or physically abusive toward another person, as well as intervening when persons incapable of giving consent were asked to engage in sexual activity by others.

Resources and Campus Climate

The vast majority of participants indicated they were aware of the Title IX Office and other health, safety, and wellness offices at Hampshire College. Over 62% of participants agreed they knew how to access support, information or help on campus compared with only 42% of participants who agreed they knew how to access support, information, or help off-campus.

Participants reflected on the challenges posed by the staffing changes within the Title IX Office over recent years, but noted feeling hopeful and optimistic about the hire of a new Title IX Coordinator in the spring of 2025. Several participants expressed that their trust in the Title IX Office had improved based on the new staffing of the office.

Next Steps

Hampshire College will conduct the next Massachusetts Sexual Misconduct Survey by 2029 and will continue implementing trainings and workshops for faculty, staff, and students to educate the campus about resources, supports, reporting options, and ways to be prosocial bystanders.