Technological Innovation Blueprint Regarding Sexual Assault: Understanding Underreporting Might be for the Better

Winner of the Navari Center for Digital Scholarship, University of Notre Dame Library Research Award, 2025.This undergraduate research paper by Gaspar Larrain proposes a blueprint for applying user-centered technological innovation to improve sexual assault reporting systems on college campuses. Focusing on the shortcomings of current Title IX reporting tools and institutional practices, the paper argues that innovation should prioritize victim wellbeing through empathetic design, rather than technical functionality alone. It explores the barriers to reporting, such as administrative bias, fear of retraumatization, and distrust in systems, and recommends development practices that emphasize transparency, contextual usability, and human-centered design to meaningfully support survivors.