# Discrimination, stalking, sexual harassment and sexual violence at the university – exploring and predicting pattern-based subcategories among students and staff in a German university sample

## TL;DR

This study explores the prevalence and patterns of discrimination, stalking, harassment, and violence at a German university, identifying groups with distinct experiences and risk factors.

## Contribution

The study introduces a pattern-based clustering approach to identify distinct DSHV profiles and their associated risk factors in a German university sample.

## Key findings

- Three clusters emerged: unaffected, limited DSHV-experiences, and extensive DSHV-experiences, particularly involving sexual harassment and violence.
- Being female, perceiving hierarchical structures, longer university tenure, and studying medicine or natural sciences increase risk of DSHV cluster affiliation.
- Experience with one form of DSHV correlates with vulnerability to others, suggesting a need for targeted interventions.

## Abstract

Discrimination, stalking, sexual harassment and sexual violence (DSHV) remain pervasive problems at universities. However, systemic investigations from German universities are lacking. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of DSHV using an integrative approach with all forms of DSHV to identify pattern-based subcategories with distinct DSHV-profiles and predictive factors for cluster affiliation for students and staff.

A total of 2,128 participants (1,358 students; 14% response rate; 753 employees; 42% response rate) completed the online survey between April and July in 2023 for the DSHV-investigation. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to find pattern-based subcategories (clusters) and multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine factors influencing cluster affiliation.

Three pattern-based clusters emerged for both students and staff, each with significantly distinct DSHV-profiles: There is an unaffected group, a group with limited DSHV-experiences and a group with extensive DSHV-experiences, especially sexual harassment and sexual violence. Being female, perceiving stronger hierarchical structures at workplace or study field, working or studying for a longer time at the university and studying medicine or natural sciences are associated with an increased risk of belonging to the affected clusters.

This study, including a high number of both, data from students and employees, highlights the prevalence and co-occurrence of different forms of DSHV in academic settings and demonstrates that experience of one type of DSHV often correlates with vulnerability to others. Greater attention should be given to female students in the natural sciences. As DSHV is group-specific, measures should include both global and in particular targeted components based on a risk analysis, and might be helpful for students and staff.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25864-6.