Gender-Based Trauma Among Female University Students: A Survey of Psychological Impact, Coping, and Community Awareness
Hande Neslisah Uzun
11/08/2026
Gender-based violence is both a persistent public health crisis and a serious violation of human rights. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one in three women worldwide experience physical and/or sexual violence during their lifetime. Exposure to such violence has been associated with a wide range of psychological, cognitive, physical, and social consequences. Although existing neurobiological research has identified associations between trauma and alterations in brain regions involved in emotional regulation, memory, and executive functioning, the present study does not directly assess neurological or physiological outcomes. Instead, it examines female university students’ self-reported experiences of gender-based trauma, its perceived psychological impact, their coping responses, and their awareness of available community support.
An original survey was administered to 30 female undergraduate students. Participants reported experiences involving psychological, physical, sexual, and economic forms of violence and described their perceived effects on emotional well-being, daily functioning, and sense of safety. The survey also explored coping strategies, help-seeking behaviors, and knowledge of institutional and community resources. The findings indicate that gender-based trauma may have substantial and multidimensional consequences for students’ psychological well-being, while also revealing barriers to disclosure and support seeking. Because the study relies on self-reported data and includes no neural, endocrine, or physiological measures, its findings should be interpreted as evidence of perceived psychological and psychosocial impact rather than direct neurological effects. The study highlights the need for trauma-informed university services, greater awareness of support resources, and future interdisciplinary research incorporating validated psychological assessments and physiological measures. (Meneses Meneses, Fernandez-Gonzalo, & Jodar Vicente, 2023).