Please continue reading to see the statement by the University of Hertfordshire.
Abuse and harassment at universities is a prevalent issue globally and needs be taken seriously. Some studies indicate that more than 50% of female students experience sexual violence, and a piece in The Guardian newspaper revealed that harassment plagues female and minority staff members at universities as well. In numerous ways, it is apparent that sexual abuse is endemic in educational institutions – and is not slowing down.
A Need to Empower Victims
It is unfortunate that any responsibility should be placed on the shoulders of victims. However, when said victims have the support and structure they need to feel safe, they are better able to come forward, which is crucial to combatting the issue. A few books have touched on this issue in helpful ways.
In Lauren Germain’s book on campus sexual assault, she examined the real-life experiences of 26 female students who survived campus sexual abuse. Her book provides insight for readers on the aftermath of sexual assault incidents. She highlights a new level of understanding of the experience and empowered survivors through a lens of education, awareness, activism, legislation, and policies. The book effectively discusses eight forms of post-assault agencies with the aim of assisting school and university administrators in developing more effective anti-sexual abuse policies.
Meanwhile, Donna Freitas's book "Dear Professor" sees the author discussing how her mentor, a celebrated scholar, stalked her in graduate school and used his position to his advantage. Freitas used her book to let the world know about how her professor used his power to rob her of her own. She also spoke about how it feels to be put in such a traumatic situation for years, and how sexual assault and harassment victims often feel shame and are forced into keeping incidents quiet. The book provides insights on empathy, resiliency, adaptability, and matter of consent, all of which will hopefully help other victims to feel more empowered to come forward.
A Lack of Practical Solutions
In the UK specifically, there is no strict set of guidelines for universities to follow when it comes to dealing with sexual violence. However, there are guidelines from 1998 that place a restriction on universities performing any investigation on sexual misconduct complaints until the police have first performed an investigation. Obviously, this means that for there to be any investigation, the victim has to first file a police report. And since most victims feel violated, fearful and/or ashamed, many don't file such reports.
In 2016 the guidelines were amended to allow the person filing the complaint to choose whether they want their incident to be investigated by the police or the university. Despite the guidelines being amended, however, universities do not actually have any obligation to follow the guidelines.
This may be one of the reasons for the system’s failure in the case of a reported sexual abuse two years ago. In March of 2020, a 26-year-old female PhD student at the University of Oxford came forward to give her testimony about how a fellow student had sexually assaulted her. She explained that it was not a one-time occurrence but several incidents that occurred over the course of many months. She submitted a formal complaint to a senior member of the university administration, but after six long months, nothing happened.
The Scope of the Problem & the Need for Solutions
Aside from sexual abuse, students and staff alike have also suffered other forms of abuse. An article titled ‘Love Shouldn't Hurt’ points out that abuse comes in many forms including coercive control, which is common in settings like colleges and universities where one party is often the "superior" or "authority" with regard to another.
To help tackle these problems with abuse and harassment, we've seen initiatives like the UK’s Office for Students (OfS) publishing a statement of expectations for higher education in 2020. This aims to prevent and teach people how to respond to incidents of misconduct and harassment. Additionally, Universities UK (UUK) published guidelines on changing the culture of sexual abuse in 2019, geared primarily towards the issue of sexual harassment.
Everybody should be able to feel safe in professional environments such as universities. While policies have been developed to tackle issues of abuse and harassment in the campus however, universities need to work harder to improve the existing protections. With better awareness and education, and more resources on hand, the hope is that these matters will be handled more effectively moving forward.
A quote from the University of Hertfordshire
“The University of Hertfordshire has a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and is committed to establishing a culture of support and respect. The University treats all members with dignity and respect, actively responding to all reports of harassment and violence.
We have dedicated specialist support including free and accessible counselling for all. Our Student Wellbeing service is here to support all students with any experiences that may arise during their time at university. Herts also has a dedicated report and support system, helping students to speak out, report anonymously or seek advice.
The University recently launched a partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire County Council and Crime stoppers to improve safety in the local area. The partnership secured over £500,000 of Home Office funding in 2021 as part of the Government’s Safer Streets programme to carry out several projects in Hatfield, with a focus on preventing violence against women and girls. This funding has enabled the University to purchase 6,000 personal safety alarms and 2,000 vouchers for the Hollie Guard app for the most vulnerable members of our community. The partnership will also allow for students and staff to receive bystander training - equipping them with the skills and confidence to challenge unacceptable behaviours.
The University’s pro bono Law Clinic has in recent months launched a number of programs to support vulnerable people and provide wider access to justice and legal advice in the east of England. Working alongside the Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline, their mobile advice service – known as the ‘Justice Bus’ – visits local communities to reach vulnerable people who may not be able to easily travel to access support and advice.
Exclusively written for Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline by Veronica Blanton