Athletic trainers' or athletic training students' perceptions of sexual harassment by student-athletes in the collegiate setting

Sexual harassment is an issue that occurs in healthcare professions and on college campuses nationwide. Athletic trainers employed at the collegiate setting are healthcare professionals who work in close conjunction with student-athletes, which may predispose a risk of a sexual harassment occurrence. A study was conducted to investigate the sexual harassment of athletic trainers and athletic training students by student athletes at the collegiate setting. A Qualtrics survey, containing closed- and open-ended questions, was sent out to 297 CAATE-accredited athletic training program directors; the athletic training staff at these institutions were also sent the survey as well. The program directors were asked to send the survey to the students currently enrolled in the program. Quantitative data were analyzed using Qualtrics and the qualitative data were analyzed using themes and coding. The study revealed that athletic trainers and athletic training students were sexually harassed by student-athletes on at least one occasion. 40% of the respondents stated being sexually harassed by a student-athlete, and 59% observed sexual harassment of a member of the athletic training staff on at least one instance.